Background: ZBTB20 was overexpressed in esophageal cancer (EC). The study aimed to identify genotypes of ZBTB20 polymorphisms and their correlation with EC occurrence in a Chinese Han population.
Methods: Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ZBTB20 were randomly selected for genotyping through Agena MassARRAY system among 525 EC patients and 522 healthy controls. Multiple genetic models were applied to assess the association of ZBTB20 polymorphisms with EC susceptibility by calculating odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: Rs10934270 was associated with lower EC susceptibility (OR = 0.64, p = 0.004) with statistical power > 90% in overall analysis. Specifically, the correlation of rs10934270 with EC susceptibility was found in subgroups including patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), males, subjects aged ≤ 65 years, subjects with BMI ≤ 24 kg/m², and smokers. Rs9841504 might be a risk-increasing factor for ESCC. Moreover, rs9288999 in subjects aged ≤ 65 years and rs73230612 in females were related to lower EC risk.
Conclusion: Our research is the first to report that ZBTB20 rs10934270 is associated with reduced EC susceptibility in the Chinese Han population. These data provide a scientific basis for understanding the influence of the ZBTB20 gene on EC occurrence.
Keywords: esophageal cancer, ZBTB20 , genetic polymorphisms, genotype–phenotype analyses, FPRP analysis