The Genotyping Shared Resource (GSR) provides expertise in fast developing areas of genetic and molecular biological analysis. The GSR was created as an off- shoot of a molecular epidemiology laboratory established in 1992 using NCI R01-funding by Dr. Loic LeMarchand. In response to a growing need for genotyping services by a number of CRCH investigators this laboratory was converted into a shared resource in 1999. The GSR reduces redundancies in projects by furnishing a central service that uses high throughput technologies. The personnel of the GSR are highly knowledgeable in the areas of molecular biology and genetics, and can provide both the novice and the advanced users with a level of technical support, consultation, and information services that are not found in Hawaii outside the resource. The personnel of the GSR can provide project planning, advice, and troubleshooting capabilities during the execution of the project. The services we offer are: (1) DNA/RNA isolation, (2) custom genotyping, (3) gene expression assays, (4) library manipulation/construction, (5) gene expression microarray fabrication and reading, (6) fluorescence in situ hybridization, and (7) consultation services related to the above.
The following are some examples of research facilitated by the laboratory during the past year:
- Dr. Le Marchand and colleagues showed in a series of population-based studies (using case-control and cohort designs) that the very high colorectal cancer risk of Japanese in Hawaii may be at least partially due to an interaction of a high intake of well-done red meat and the combined rapid NAT2 and CYP1A2 genotypes, risk factors that are common in this group.
- Dr. Goodman and colleagues, following up on a strong association between smoking and cervical dysplasia in a recent case-control study found that women homozygous for the CYP1A1*2 allele were at a 3-fold increased risk of cervical dysplasia and those with a GSTM1 deletion were at a 2-fold increased risk for the disease. CYP1A1*2 is associated with an increased activation, and a GSTM1 deletion with a decreased detoxification, of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
- Dr. Nomura and colleagues used the lab to generate preliminary data for an NIH application to conduct a case-control study of stomach cancer in Hawaii and Japan. One of the aims is to test associations between several metabolic genes and this disease.
- Dr. Maskarinec and colleagues are investigating associations between sex hormone levels, mammographic densities and polymorphisms in genes involved in the metabolism of estrogens.