Increased risk of human lung adenocarcinoma is associated with the rare alleles of the Hras1 minisatellite locus

Data on allelotyping of minisatellite sequence within the Hras1 protooncoge ne locus in 60 patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) are presented. Allel e distribution was analyzed with respect to the effect of tobacco smoke car cinogens (smoking factor). Results; were compared with the analogous data o btained for patients:with squamous-cell-carcinoma and for individuals witho ut cancer. In contrast to the patients with squamous cell-carcinoma, the fr equency of the Hras1 locus rare alleles in patients with lung-adenocarcinom a was higher than in individuals without cancer. More striking difference b etween the latter groups was demonstrated for nonsmoking patients (17.6% ve rsus 2.7% of healthy individuals, P = 0.0005). In smoking LAC patients, hig her frequencies of the common a4 allele (2.5 kb in size under the MspI/HpaI I digestion) were found. Our findings point to the combined effect of endog enous and exogenous factor's on the development of lung adenocarcinomas in humans. In this work, we discuss the possible mechanism of association betw een the rare minisatellite alleles and the predisposition to lung cancer.