Multiplex PCR-Based Determination of Genetic Polymorphisms Involved in the Etiology of Breast Cancer

摘要

Breast cancer incidence rates for New Mexico's women have risen rapidly over the last two decades, particularly in Hispanics for whom breast cancer mortality rates have doubled. Despite this fact, the causes of breast cancer in this minority population have not been adequately characterized; thus, hampering interventions to reverse these trends. We have proposed to develop novel methods to evaluate allelic polymorphisms potentially associated with breast and other forms of cancer. In the recent past, much attention has been focused on potential functional polymorphisms present in the enzymes responsible for metabolic oxidation. These enzymes play a role a role in the detoxification of xenobiotics and among others include members of the cytochrome P450 family, glutathione S-transferases class Theta and mu, and N-acetyl transferases 1 and 2. The laboratory methods currently utilized to study these polymorphic enzymes are expensive, time consuming, and cumbersome when applied to large-scale epidemiological studies. We are currently developing simplified and accurate methods based on multiplex PCR and sequence-specific hybridization which will facilitate the rapid screening of each of these polymorphic loci. These methods will facilitate the large-scale epidemiological studies needed to characterize genetic variations associated with breast cancer incidence.