Relationship between ABO Blood Group Alleles and Pancreatic Cancer Is Modulated by Secretor (FUT2) Genotype, but Not Lewis Antigen (FUT3) Genotype

Abstract

Background: In western populations, Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) risk has been found to be greater among individuals with non-O blood types than those with O blood type. However, the association has not been fully evaluated with respect to FUT2 (determining secretor status) and FUT3 (determining Lewis antigens) status, two biologically important genes in the expression of ABO blood groups with PDAC. Methods: We examined interactions in data from 8,027 cases and 11,362 controls in large pancreatic cancer consortia (PanScan I-III and PanC4) by utilizing genetic variants to predict ABO blood groups (rs505922 and rs8176746), secretor status (rs601338), and Lewis antigens (rs812936, rs28362459, and rs3894326). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the risk of PDAC adjusted for age and sex. We examined multiplicative interactions of ABO with secretor status and Lewis group by considering each product term between ABO and secretor and between ABO and Lewis group individually. Results: We found that the increased risk associated with non-O blood groups was somewhat stronger among secretors than non-secretors (ORs 1.28 [95% CI: 1.15-1.42] and 1.17 [95% CI: 1.03-1.32] respectively; interaction p-value = 0.002). We did not find any interactions between ABO and Lewis antigens. Conclusions: Our large consortia data provide evidence of effect modification in the association between non-O blood type and pancreatic cancer risk by secretor status. Impact: Our results indicate that the association between ABO blood type and PDAC risk may vary by secretor status, but not by Lewis antigens.