RESUMEN
Patterns of DNA methylation are established and maintained by a family of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Aberrant promoter DNA methylation of tumor suppressor genes is found in breast cancer. Association studies between DNMT gene polymorphisms and breast cancer in various populations have reported inconsistent results. This study assessed the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNMT1, DNMT3A, DNMT3B, DNMT3L, and DNMT2 with breast cancer among Han Chinese women from South China. Sixteen SNPs (rs2114724, rs2228611, rs2228612, rs8101866, and rs16999593 in DNMT1; rs13420827, rs11887120, rs13428812, rs1550117, rs11695471, and rs6733301 in DNMT3A; rs2424908, rs2424913, and rs6087990 in DNMT3B; rs113593938 in DNMT3L, and rs11254413 in DNMT2) in 408 women with breast cancer and 469 controls were genotyped using a MassARRAY matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry platform. Two SNPs, rs16999593 in DNMT1 and rs2424908 in DNMT3B, were significantly associated with breast cancer risk. The heterozygous genotype CT of rs16999593 was associated with increased breast cancer risk [odds ratio (OR) = 1.60; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.20-2.14; P = 0.0052], whereas rs2424908 was associated with decreased risk (OR = 0.62; 95%CI = 0.46-0.84; P = 0.0061). Other DNMT polymorphisms showed no significant associations with breast cancer risk in the study population. Haplotype CGTC of rs2114724, rs2228611, rs8101866, and rs16999593 in DNMT1 differed significantly as a risk factor between the case and control groups (OR = 1.51; 95%CI = 1.18-1.93; P = 0.0012). The heterozygous genotypes of rs16999593 in DNMT1 and rs2424908 in DNMT3B were strongly associated with breast cancer risk.