LAUSR

Abstract The RTN4 gene plays a role in the development and progression of cancer. This case–control study aimed to investigate the association between the RTN4 gene polymorphism and its plasma level with the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a Chinese population. RTN4 gene polymorphisms (rs2920891, rs17046583, rs117465650, rs10496040, and rs2588519) in 220 patients with NPC and 300 healthy controls were analyzed using Snapshot single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping assays. The plasma level of RTN4 was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The allele frequencies of RTN4 gene polymorphisms showed no significant difference between the patients and controls (P > .05). Nevertheless, the rs2920891 polymorphism in a dominant model (A/C+C/C) and codominant model (A/C) was significantly associated with the susceptibility to NPC (P = .017, odds ratio [OR] = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08–2.21 and P = .034, OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.13–2.38, respectively). The plasma level of RTN4 was significantly higher in patients with NPC in comparison with the controls (P < .001). Furthermore, we observed that patients with NPC carrying the rs2920891 A/C+C/C genotype had a higher RTN4 level than those carrying the A/A genotype (P < .001). Our findings indicated that the rs2920891 polymorphism may be associated with increased susceptibility to NPC, possibly by increasing plasma RTN4.