Various single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in apoptotic genes have been associated with increased risks in lung cancer, particularly FAS -1377 G>A (rs2234767), FASLG -844 C>T (rs763110), IL1B +3954 C>T Phe105Phe (rs1143634) and BAT3 Ser625Pro (rs1052486).
These results suggest that the FAS-1377G>A and -670A>G and FASL-844C>T polymorphisms do not significantly affect the susceptibility to lung cancer in Koreans.
Because CASP8 is a key component of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) when specific death receptors (including DR4, DR5, FAS) are activated by their specific ligands (TRAIL/FASL), we examined expression of the components of the DISC complex in lung cancer cell lines.