Oxidative Stress-Related KEAP1 and NRF2 Genes Contributed to the Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

Abstract

The NRF2/KEAP1 signaling pathway, crucial for cellular defense against oxidative stress, may influence epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk. This study investigates the association between KEAP1 gene polymorphisms and EOC risk in Han Chinese individuals, while exploring correlations between these genetic variants and serum levels of KEAP1 and NRF2 proteins. We conducted a case-control study involving 1962 EOC patients and 2057 controls, genotyping ten tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in KEAP1. Serum KEAP1 and NRF2 levels were measured using ELISA. Genetic association analyses and ANOVA were employed to assess relationships between SNPs, EOC risk, and serum protein levels. Notably, only SNP rs3177696 in KEAP1 showed a significant association with EOC risk. The G allele of rs3177696 conferred a protective effect against EOC (OR [95% CI] = 0.58 [0.47-0.72], P = 2.91 × 10^-7). Furthermore, rs3177696 genotypes were significantly associated with serum levels of both KEAP1 and NRF2, as well as their ratio. EOC patients carrying GG, AG, and AA genotypes exhibited mean serum KEAP1 levels of 2.46, 2.16, and 2.04 (P = 2.43 × 10^-9), respectively. Conversely, serum NRF2 levels decreased with increasing G allele copies (GG: 4.58, AG: 4.95, AA: 5.02; P = 0.0002). This study provides compelling evidence linking EOC risk to the oxidative stress-related gene KEAP1, with the G allele of rs3177696 demonstrating a protective effect. These findings suggest a potential role for the NRF2/KEAP1 pathway in EOC pathogenesis and highlight promising avenues for future research in EOC prevention and treatment strategies.