UGT1A1*28 polymorphism and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, a Danish case-control study

BACKGROUND:Oxidative stress is a possible risk factor in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children. Bilirubin is a potent endogenous antioxidant, and the UGT1A1*28 polymorphism the main genetic cause of variation in plasma bilirubin in Western Europe.METHODS:In a case-control study of 665 incident cases of ALL in childhood in Denmark 1982-2010 and 1379 controls, associations between UGT1A1*28 genotypes and ALL in childhood were estimated as odds ratios by logistic regression with adjustment for sex and birth decade.Subgroup analyses were carried out by age at onset in three groups, and on the ALL subtypes precursor B cell, T cell and t(12;21) positive status.Cases were identified in The Danish Registry of Childhood Cancer, and genotypes were estimated from dried blood spots stored in The Danish Neonatal Screening Biobank. Controls were newborns with blood spots taken right before and after a case.RESULTS:We found no association between ALL in childhood and UGT1A1*28 genotypes. The odds ratio was 1.01 (0.88-1.17) for heterozygotes and 1.03 (0.78-1.36) for homozygotes. Also, no associations were found in the subgroup analyses,CONCLUSION:We found no association between the UGT1A1*28 genotypes and ALL in children.Pediatric Research (2014); doi:10.1038/pr.2014.115.