Table 1. Description of selected genes and tagging SNPs.

Name of Gene	Function	Chromosome Location	Number of tagSNPs1/tagSNPs p<0.052	Adjusted min P test
Growth and Differentiation Genes
AKR1C3 - Aldo-keto Reductase Family 1, Member C3	Catalyzes the reduction of prostaglandin (PGD). Role in cell differentiation by diverting conversion of PGD from PGJ2 to PGF2.	10p15-p14	17/1	0.57
EGFR -Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor	A transmembrane growth factor receptor. EGFR binding leads to the activation of major signal transduction pathways involved in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and survival.	7p12	65/12*	0.48
EGF - Epidermal Growth Factor	EGF is a mitogenic factor and an important ligand for EGFR. Subsequently has a major effect on cell differentiation.	4q25	16/0	0.90
IGFBP3 - Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3	Main carrier of circulating IGFs. Independently, has a key role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis.	7p13-p12	14/3*	0.23
IGFBP5 - Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 5	Another carrier for IGF. Role in regulating cell survival, differentiation, and apoptosis.	2q33-q36	17/1	0.34
PPARG- Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor Gamma	A nuclear hormone receptor. When dimerizes with retinoid X receptor, regulates transcription of numerous genes. Also a regulator of adipocyte differentiation	3p25	26/1	0.66
TGFA -Transforming Growth Factor, alpha	Growth factor that competes with EGF in binding to EGFR	2p13	39/1	0.76
VCAM1 - Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1	Member of the immunoglobulin family and encodes a cell surface glycoprotein expressed by cytokine-activated endothelial cells	1p32-p31	14/1	0.41
VEGF - Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A	Important growth factor in angiogenesis and tumor growth	6p12	21/1	0.78
Apoptosis Genes
CASP1/5/4/12	A member of the cysteine-aspartic acid protease (caspase) family which plays an integral role in a complex cascade of events that regulate cell apoptosis	11q22.2-22.3	24/5*	0.26
CASP2	Member of the caspase family	7q34-q35	6/0	0.90
CASP3	Member of the caspase family	4q34	10/0	0.83
CASP6	Member of the caspase family	4q25	7/0	0.77
CASP7	Member of the caspase family	10q25	16/0	0.85
CASP8/10	Member of the caspase family	2q33-q34	12/0	0.85
CASP9	Member of the caspase family	1p36.3-p36.1	7/0	0.96
CASP14	Member of the caspase family	19p13	8/1	0.25

¹rs numbers for SNPs can be found in supplementary table 1.

²TagSNPs with p-value for trend <0.05.

^*indicates genes where number of tagSNPs with p-value for trend <0.05 is more than one would expect to see by chance.