Original Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastrointest Oncol. Jul 15, 2012; 4(7): 170-175
Published online Jul 15, 2012. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.v4.i7.170
Is there diversity among UGT1A1 polymorphism in Japan
Michiya Kobayashi, Shoichi Hazama, Kenichi Takahashi, Koji Oba, Naoko Okayama, Mitsuaki Nishioka, Yuji Hinoda, Masaaki Oka, Ken Okamoto, Hiromichi Maeda, Daisuke Nakamura, Junichi Sakamoto, Hideyuki Mishima
Michiya Kobayashi, Ken Okamoto, Hiromichi Maeda, Department of Human Health and Medical Sciences, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku 783-8505, Japan
Shoichi Hazama, Masaaki Oka, Department of Digestive Surgery and Surgical Oncology (Surgery II), Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan
Kenichi Takahashi, Department of Surgery, Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital, Aomori 030-8553, Japan
Koji Oba, Translational Research and Clinical Trial Center, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
Naoko Okayama, Mitsuaki Nishioka, Division of Laboratory, Yamaguchi University Hospital, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan
Yuji Hinoda, Department of Oncology and Laboratory Medicine, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan
Daisuke Nakamura, Tokai University, School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1131, Japan
Junichi Sakamoto, Young Leaders Program in Healthcare Administration, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
Hideyuki Mishima, Department of Surgery, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Author contributions: All authors contributed to this study.
Supported by The Non-profit Epidemiological and Clinical Research Information Network Organization
Correspondence to: Michiya Kobayashi, MD, PhD, Profseeor, Department of Human Health and Medical Sciences, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Oko-cho, Nankoku 783-8505, Japan. kobayasm@kochi-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-88-8802202 Fax: +81-88-8802702
Received: February 3, 2012
Revised: May 22, 2012
Accepted: May 27, 2012
Published online: July 15, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate into the diversity of UGT1A1 polymorphism across three different districts in Japan and highlight genetic differences among the population in Japan.

METHODS: We enrolled 50 healthy volunteers from each of the Yamaguchi (western part of Japan), Kochi (southern part of Japan) and Akita (northern part of Japan) prefectures. Blood samples (7 mL) were collected from each participant and stored in EDTA for subsequent genotyping by fragment size analysis, direct sequencing and TaqMan assay of UGT1A1*28, UGT1A7*3/UGT1A9*22 and UGT1A1*93/UGT1A1*6/UGT1A1*27/UGT1A1*60/UGT1A7 (-57), respectively.

RESULTS: The only statistically significant differences in allele polymorphisms among the group examined were for UGT1A1*6. The Akita population showed more UGT1A1*6 heterozygosity (P = 0.0496).

CONCLUSION: Our study revealed no regional diversity among UGT1A1, UGT1A7 or UGT1A9 polymorphisms in Japan.

Keywords: UGT1A1 gene; Polymorphism; Diversity