Interaction of DNA repair gene polymorphisms and aflatoxin B1 in the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is an important environmental carcinogen and can induce DNA damage and involve in the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The deficiency of DNA repair capacity related to the polymorphisms of DNA repair genes might play a central role in the process of HCC tumorigenesis. However, the interaction of DNA repair gene polymorphisms and AFB1 in the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma has not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether six polymorphisms (including rs25487, rs861539, rs7003908, rs28383151, rs13181, and rs2228001) in DNA repair genes (XPC, XRCC4, XRCC1, XRCC4, XPD, XRCC7, and XRCC3) interacted with AFB1, and the gene-environmental interactive role in the risk of HCC using hospital-based case-control study (including 1486 HCC cases and 1996 controls). Genotypes of DNA repair genes were tested using TaqMan-PCR technique. Higher AFB1 exposure was observed among HCC patients versus the control group [odds ratio (OR) = 2.08 for medium AFB1 exposure level and OR = 6.52 for high AFB1 exposure level]. Increasing risk of HCC was also observed in these with the mutants of DNA repair genes (risk values were from 1.57 to 5.86). Furthermore, these risk roles would be more noticeable under the conditions of two variables, and positive interactive effects were proved in the followed multiplicative interaction analysis. These results suggested that DNA repair risk genotypes might interact with AFB1 in the risk of HCC.