Immune Response-Related Genes – STAT4, IL8RA and CCR7 Polymorphisms in Lung Cancer: A Case–Control Study in China

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the associations between immune response-related genes – STAT4, IL8RA and CCR7 polymorphisms and risk of lung cancer. METHODS: Seven polymorphisms of STAT4, IL8RA and CCR7 were genotyped in 350 cases and 350 controls using a MassARRAY platform. RESULTS: The STAT4 rs1400656-G and rs7574865-T alleles may decrease the susceptibility to lung cancer (p(rs1400656)= 0.020; p(rs7574865)= 0.014); while IL8RA rs1008562-C and CCR7 rs3136685-T alleles may increase the risk of disease (p(rs1008562)< 0.001; p(rs3136685)= 0.018). The STAT4 rs1400656-GA and rs7574865-GT genotypes were determined as protective genotypes against lung cancer risk (p(rs1400656)= 0.048; p(rs7574865)= 0.042). However, IL8RA rs1008562-CG/GG and CCR7 rs3136685-TT genotypes were significantly associated with an elevated risk of disease (p(rs1008562)< 0.0001; p(rs3136685)= 0.020). Genetic model analysis revealed that STAT4 rs1400656 and rs7574865 were relate to a declining risk of disease under dominant and log-additive models (rs1400656: p (dominant) = 0.014, p (log-additive)= 0.016; rs7574865: p (dominant) = 0.013, p (log-additive)= 0.013). In contrast, IL8RA rs1008562 exhibited a strong correlation with an elevated risk of lung cancer under all three models (p (dominant) < 0.0001, p (recessive) = 0.011, p (log-additive)< 0.0001). Moreover, CCR7 rs3136685 was correlated with an increased risk of disease under recessive and log-additive models (p (recessive) = 0.007, p (log-additive)= 0.019); and CCR7 rs17708087 was also identified as a risk factor in the dominant model (p = 0.038). CONCLUSION: These results widen the scope of knowledge about the association between STAT4, IL8RA and CCR7 polymorphisms and risk of lung cancer.