p21 gene codon 31 arginine/serine polymorphism: Non-association with endometriosis

p21, an important regulator of the cell cycle, acts as a mediator of the gr owth-suppressing and -promoting functions of p53. We aimed to investigate t he association between codon 31 polymorphisms of p21 gene and endometriosis . Women were divided into two groups: endometriosis (n = 102) and nonendome triosis (n = 119). The gene polymorphism for p21 codon 31 involved a base c hange from AGC to AGA and amino acid changes from serine (Ser) to arginine (Arg). Polymorphisms (Ser homozygotes, heterozygotes, Arg homozygotes) betw een both groups were detected and compared. Associations between the endome triosis and polymorphisms were evaluated. The results revealed that the dis tributions of different p21 polymorphisms in both groups were nonsignifican tly different. The proportions of Ser homozygote/heterozygote/Arg homozygot e in endometriosis and non-endometriois populations were 26.5/48.0/25.5% an d 17.6/50.4/31.9%, respectively. We concluded the noncorrelation between th e endometriosis and the p21 codon 31 polymorphism. p21 gene codon 31 argini ne/serine polymorphism is not a useful marker for prediction of endometrios is susceptibility. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.