Polymorphisms in Kallikrein7 and 10 genes and oral cancer risks in Taiwan betel quid chewers and smokers

Objectives We investigated the association between mRNA levels, polymorphisms of Kallikrein7 (KLK7) and Kallikrein10 (KLK10), and the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and methods We recruited 217 OSCC patients and 138 healthy controls. All were men, betel quid chewers, cigarette smokers, and Minnan ethnicity. Genotyping was performed using a TaqMan® probe genotyping assay. Gene expression levels were determined using real‐time polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) for 20 pairs of cancerous and non‐cancerous tissues. Results Kallikrein10 rs3745535G>T polymorphisms were significantly associated with OSCC development [adjusted OR (AOR) = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.02–2.59], but KLK7 polymorphisms were not. The KLK7 rs10581213(wt/ins + ins/ins) genotypes were significantly associated with early‐stage cancer (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.14–0.78), but KLK10 polymorphisms were not. Relative expression analysis indicated that an increase in KLK7 and KLK10 mRNA levels was found in cancerous tissues (2−ΔΔCT = 25.23 ± 8.85 and 10.89 ± 4.97, respectively). A significantly higher level of KLK7 was expressed in early‐stage cancer with the rs10581213(wt/ins + ins/ins) genotypes, but there was no significant difference in the mRNA levels of KLK7 and KLK10 between early‐ and advanced‐stage cancers. Conclusions This is the first correlation of OSCC with KLK10 rs3745535G>T polymorphisms. Early‐stage OSCC and high KLK7 mRNA levels were correlated with the rs10581213(wt/ins + ins/ins) genotypes. More studies with large sample sizes are needed to verify our findings.