Grant Details
Grant Number: |
5R01CA088363-03 Interpret this number |
Primary Investigator: |
Hayward, Nicholas |
Organization: |
Queensland Institute Of Medical Research |
Project Title: |
Pathways From Genotype and Environment to Melanoma |
Fiscal Year: |
2003 |
Abstract
DESCRIPTION: The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma has increased
dramatically in white-skinned populations throughout the world over past
decades. The Australian state of Queensland has the highest incidence of
melanoma in the world with lifetime incidences of 1 in 13 males and 1 in 16
females. While these rates are almost five times those in the USA, the shape of
the age-specific incidence curve is almost the same in the two populations,
suggesting similar causal factors. Over the past 20 years we have conducted
several large-scale studies into the molecular genetics and genetic
epidemiology of melanoma and its risk factors, particularly nevus density and
pigmentation. We shall follow up a population-based sample of 1,912 melanoma
families to update survival status and risk factor information, and to obtain
DNA from all melanoma cases and a sample of unaffected relatives, and do
likewise in studies of melanoma in children (under l4y), adolescents (14-19y)
and older men (over 50y). 3,440 family members of twins for whom we have nevus
counts and 600 controls will also be included in the total of 6,248 DNA samples
for molecular analysis. We shall sequence the CDKN2A and P genes in 100
subjects of diverse melanoma risk and pigmentation, and type all subjects for
single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these and other genes of the cell
cycle (CDKN2B, CDK4), and pigmentation (MCI R) pathways. We shall perform
within-family and case-control analyses for association of melanoma risk
variables including status, age-at-onset, survival and severity, with SNPs and
environmental risk factors, stratified by familial risk. Similar analyses will
be conducted for mediating variables such as nevus density, freckling, and
pigmentation. We shall test for gene-gene interactions (epistasis) between SNPs
of cell-cycle genes and pigmentation axis genes, and for gene-environment
interactions of SNPs with measured environmental risk factors, on melanoma risk
variables. We shall also test whether melanoma in childhood or adolescence can
be solely explained by the same risk factors that operate in adults or whether
they carry rare alleles in cell cycle or pigmentation genes. Finally,
segregation-association analysis will test whether familial aggregation for
melanoma can be completely explained by our measured risk factors. In addition,
we shall fine map a major locus affecting nevus density linked to CDKN2A, and
extend a 10cM genome scan to 900 twin families (about 1100 sib pairs) so we can
use sib pair linkage analysis to locate loci influencing nevus density,
freckling, pigmentation phenotypes, and other risk factors.
Publications
None