Association Between TAS2R38 Gene Polymorphisms and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study in Two Independent Populations of Caucasian Origin

Abstract

Molecular sensing in the lingual mucosa and in the gastro-intestinal tract play a role in the detection of ingested harmful drugs and toxins. Therefore, genetic polymorphisms affecting the capability of initiating these responses may be critical for the subsequent efficiency of avoiding and/or eliminating possible threats to the organism. By using a tagging approach in the region of Taste Receptor 2R38 (TAS2R38) gene, we investigated all the common genetic variation of this gene region in relation to colorectal cancer risk with a case-control study in a German population (709 controls and 602 cases) and in a Czech population (623 controls and 601 cases). We found that there were no significant associations between individual SNPs of the TAS2R38 gene and colorectal cancer in the Czech or in the German population, nor in the joint analysis. However, when we analyzed the diplotypes and the phenotypes we found that the non-taster group had an increased risk of colorectal cancer in comparison to the taster group. This association was borderline significant in the Czech population, (OR = 1.28, 95% CI 0.99–1.67; Pvalue = 0.058) and statistically significant in the German population (OR = 1.36, 95% CI 1.06–1.75; Pvalue = 0.016) and in the joint analysis (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.12–1.61; Pvalue = 0.001). In conclusion, we found a suggestive association between the human bitter tasting phenotype and the risk of CRC in two different populations of Caucasian origin.

Genotyping Analysis of Bitter-Taste Receptor Genes <i>TAS2R38</i> and <i>TAS2R46</i> in Japanese Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers

“…1). The increased frequency of AVI/AVI carriers in patients and increased cancer risk for AVI/ AVI genotype have been reported in German and Czech populations for colorectal cancer (29) and our present analysis confirmed the result in a Japanese population. Increased frequencies of AVI/AVI carriers was also suggested for some cancer subtypes although they were not statistically significant; AVI/AVI frequency for biliary tract cancer was 29% (n55), that for hepatocellular carcinoma was 50% (n51), that for pancreatic cancer was 19% (n54), that for colorectal cancer was 33% (n57) and that for gastric cancer was 28% (n55).…”

“…We showed that homozygous TAS2R38 AVI/AVI carriers exhibit a higher cancer risk than carriers with other genotypes, supporting the previous observation in colorectal cancer patients by Carrai et al (29). It was also suggested in this study that homozygous TAS2R38 PAV/PAV carriers exhibit a lower cancer risk than carriers with other genotypes.…”

“…The reduced risk for PAV/ PAV carriers thus calculated was significant (OR50.78; 95% CI50.617, 0.985; p50.037) in the study by Choi et al (31). Similarly, the risk for PAV/PAV carriers was also significantly reduced (OR50.66; 95% CI50.518, 0.848; p50.001) in the study by Carrai et al (29). However, the risk for PAV/PAV carriers was not smaller than 1 (OR51.11; 95% CI50.910, 1.346; p50.309) in the study by Schembre et al (30).…”

“…However, the involvement of TAS2R38 in the detection of carcinogens remains controversial. Carrai et al showed that German and Czech PTC non-tasters (AVI/AVI) have an increased risk of colorectal cancer (29). However, Schembre et al did not find a significant association between TAS2R38 genotypes and colorectal adenoma in Hawaiian Americans (30).…”

The Alteration and Validation of Food Craving Inventory to Measure Bitter Tasting Foods

“…[1][2][3] Many bitter tastes come from healthy, plant-based phytochemicals such as isothiocyanates in cruciferous vegetables, 4 and the consumption of certain bitter foods can mitigate some chronic disease risks, but the desire to consume these bitter foods (e.g., coffee, cruciferous vegetables) is shaped by experiential, cognitive, and cultural influences as well as geneticallylinked bitter taste sensitivity. The gene that codes for the taste receptor member 38 protein (TAS2R38) is one of a family of bitter taste receptor genes found in the gustatory cells within the papillae of the tongue.…”