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Genetic interaction analysis of VEGF-A rs3025039 and VEGFR-2 rs2071559 identifies a genetic profile at higher risk to develop nodular goiter

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Abstract

Context

Nodular goiter in patients from areas of iodine deficiency is due to the growth of follicular and endothelial cells, involving different vascular-related growth factors in its pathogenesis.

Objective

The aim of our study was to examine the association of known single polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A], VEGF receptor-2 [VEGFR-2] and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α [HIF-1α] genes or their genetic interactions with the risk of nodular goiter development.

Patients and methods

116 normal subjects, without any thyroid disease, and 108 subjects with nodular goiter [subjects with goiter and at least one thyroid nodule of > 1 cm of maximum size and in absence of signs of autoimmunity] were selected from a homogeneous population living in a mild iodine deficiency geographic area. Analyses were performed on germline DNA obtained from blood samples and VEGF-A rs3025039, VEGFR-2 rs2071559, and HIF-1αrs11549465 SNPs were investigated by real-time PCR technique. The multifactor dimensionality reduction [MDR] methodology was applied to investigate the genetic interaction between SNPs. Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was performed.

Results

None of the studied polymorphisms were individually associated with a higher risk to develop nodular goiter [P > 0.05]. The combination of the VEGF-A rs3025039 and VEGFR-2 rs2071559 polymorphisms had the highest accuracy of 0.58 [P = 0.018] and the interaction of some genotypes was significantly associated with the risk of nodular goiter development.

Conclusions

Our results support a genetic interaction between the VEGF-A rs3025039 and VEGFR-2 rs2071559 polymorphisms as a predictor of the risk to develop nodular goiter in subjects coming from an area with mild iodine deficiency.

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Acknowledgements

The study has been funded by a grant from the University of Pisa to GB and MT. The authors declare no conflict of interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Section, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, Cisanello, 56124, Pisa, Italy

    A. Molinaro, G. De Marco, E. Ferrarini, C. Di Cosmo, P. Vitti & M. Tonacchera

  2. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    P. Orlandi, F. Niccolai, T. Di Desidero & G. Bocci

  3. Laboratory of Chemistry and Endocrinology, University Hospital of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    P. Agretti

  4. Department of Energy and Systems Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    P. Piaggi

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  1. A. Molinaro
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Correspondence to M. Tonacchera.

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Molinaro, A., Orlandi, P., Niccolai, F. et al. Genetic interaction analysis of VEGF-A rs3025039 and VEGFR-2 rs2071559 identifies a genetic profile at higher risk to develop nodular goiter. J Endocrinol Invest 43, 149–155 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-019-01092-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-019-01092-9

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