Genetic variation in microRNA genes and prostate cancer risk in North Indian population

Role of lncRNA PVT1 in the progression of urological cancers: Novel insights into signaling pathways and clinical opportunities

Urologic malignancies, encompassing cancers of the kidney, bladder, and prostate, represent approximately 25 % of all cancer cases. Recent advances have enhanced our understanding of PVT1's crucial functions. Long noncoding RNAs influence both the onset and development of cancer, as well as epigenetic alterations. Recent findings have focused on PVT1's mechanism of action across several malignancies, particularly urologic cancers. Understanding the various functions of PVT1 linked to cancer is necessary for the development of cancer detection and treatment when PVT1 is dysregulated. Furthermore, recent advancements in genomic and epigenetic research have elucidated the complex regulatory networks that control PVT1 expression. Comprehending the intricate role of PVT1 Understanding the complex function of PVT1 in urologic cancers has substantial clinical implications. Here, we summarize some of the most recent findings about the carcinogenic effects of PVT1 signaling pathways and the possible treatment strategies for urological malignancies that target these pathways.

mir-146a genetic polymorphisms in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Correlation with disease manifestations

This study aimed to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of miR-146a SNPs (rs2910164, rs57095329, and rs2431697) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their association with clinical manifestations. The implication of SNPs on miR-146a expression level was also evaluated. SLE patients (113) and healthy controls (104) were registered in this study. The miR-146a SNPs were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the miR-146a expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Our results showed that the genotype frequency of miR-146a SNPs didn't deviate significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The AG genotype and G allele of miR-146a (rs57095329 A/G) might be considered a risk factor for the disease (OR = 2.27; CI: 0.78–6.57 and OR: 2.35; CI: 0.79–6.92 for AG genotype and G allele, respectively). Although, no statistical significance in the distribution of miR-146a SNPs (rs2910164, rs57095329, and rs2431697) was found, indicating the lack of association between the three SNPs and SLE susceptibility. Significantly, the higher frequency of the AA genotype of miR-146a (rs57095329) was associated with pancytopenia (P < 0.05), while the CT genotype of miR-146a (rs2431697) was associated (P < 0.05) with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). SLE patients had significantly higher levels of miR-146a compared to controls (P < 0.05). Elevation of miR-146a was independent of any SNP genotypes. In conclusion, this pilot study shows no association between miR-146a SNPs in our population group and susceptibility to lupus. Studies concerning other miRNAs in larger sample sizes are essential for a better understanding of their role in susceptibility to SLE disease.

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This study is concerned with genetic polymorphisms of miR-146a in Lupus patients.

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The AG genotype and G allele of miR-146a (rs57095329 A/G) might be considered a risk factor.

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No significance in the distribution of miR-146a SNPs (rs2910164, rs57095329, and rs2431697).

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miR-146a level was significantly elevated in SLE irrespective to any SNP genotypes.

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AA genotype of rs57095329 was associated with pancytopenia while the CT genotype of rs2431697 was associated with the APS.

Effect of miR-196a2 rs11614913 Polymorphism on Cancer Susceptibility: Evidence From an Updated Meta-Analysis

Background:MiR-196a2 rs11614913 polymorphism has been studied in a wide range of cancers throughout the years. Despite a large number of epidemiological studies performed in almost all ethnic populations, the contribution of this polymorphism to cancer risk is still inconclusive. Therefore, this updated meta-analysis was performed to estimate a meticulous correlation between miR-196a2 rs11614913 variant and cancer susceptibility. Methods: A systematic study search was carried out using PubMed, ScienceDirect, CNKI, EMBASE, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases following PRISMA guidelines to find necessary literature up to December 15, 2021. Pooled odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were estimated using RevMan 5.4 based on ethnicities, cancer types, control sources, and genotyping methods. Results: A total of 152 studies, including 120 135 subjects (53 818 patients and 66 317 controls; 140 studies, after removing studies that deviated from HWE: 51 459 cases and 62 588 controls), were included in this meta-analysis. Quantitative synthesis suggests that the miR-196a2 rs11614913 genetic variant is significantly correlated with the reduced risk of overall cancer in CDM2, CDM3, RM, and AM (odds ratio < 1 and P < .05). It is also observed from ethnicity-based subgroup analysis that rs11614913 polymorphism is significantly (P < .05) linked with cancer in the Asian (in CDM2, CDM3, RM, AM) and the African population (in CDM1, CDM3, ODM). Stratified analysis based on the cancer types demonstrated a significantly decreased correlation for breast, hepatocellular, lung, and gynecological cancer and an increased association for oral and renal cell cancer. Again, the control population-based subgroup analysis reported a strongly reduced correlation for HB population in CDM2, RM, and AM. A substantially decreased risk was also observed for other genotyping methods in multiple genetic models. Conclusions:MiR-196a2 rs11614913 variant is significantly correlated with overall cancer susceptibility. Besides, rs11614913 is correlated with cancer in Asians and Africans. It is also correlated with breast, gynecological, hepatocellular, lung, oral, and renal cell cancer.

SNPs in miRNAs and Target Sequences: Role in Cancer and Diabetes

miRNAs are fascinating molecular players for gene regulation as individual miRNA can control multiple targets and a single target can be regulated by multiple miRNAs. Loss of miRNA regulated gene expression is often reported to be implicated in various human diseases like diabetes and cancer. Recently, geneticists across the world started reporting single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in seed sequences of miRNAs. Similarly, SNPs are also reported in various target sequences of these miRNAs. Both the scenarios lead to dysregulated gene expression which may result in the progression of diseases. In the present paper, we explore SNPs in various miRNAs and their target sequences reported in various human cancers as well as diabetes. Similarly, we also present evidence of these mutations in various other human diseases.

Application of the targeted sequencing approach reveals the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) repertoire in microRNA genes in the pig genome

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as gene expression regulators, indirectly orchestrating a plethora of biological processes. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), one of the most common genetic variations in the genome, is established to affect miRNA functioning and influence complex traits and diseases. SNPs in miRNAs have also been associated with important production traits in livestock. Thus, the aim of our study was to reveal the SNP variability of miRNA genes in the genome of the pig, which is a significant farm animal and large-mammal human model. To this end, we applied the targeted sequencing approach, enabling deep sequencing of specified genomic regions. As a result, 73 SNPs localized in 50 distinct pre-miRNAs were identified. In silico analysis revealed that many of the identified SNPs influenced the structure and energy of the hairpin precursors. Moreover, SNPs localized in the seed regions were shown to alter targeted genes and, as a result, enrich different biological pathways. The obtained results corroborate a significant impact of SNPs on the miRNA processing and broaden the state of knowledge in the field of animal genomics. We also report the targeted sequencing approach to be a promising alternative for the whole genome sequencing in miRNA genes focused studies.

Genome-Wide Analysis of MicroRNA-related Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in Mouse Genome

MicroRNAs are widely referred to as gene expression regulators for different diseases. The integration between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and miRNAs has been associated with both human and animal diseases. In order to gain new insights on the effects of SNPs on miRNA and their related sequences, we steadily characterized a whole mouse genome miRNA related SNPs, analyzed their effects on the miRNA structural stability and target alteration. In this study, we collected 73643859 SNPs across the mouse genome, analyzed 1187 pre-miRNAs and 2027 mature miRNAs. Upon mapping the SNPs, 1700 of them were identified in 702 pre-miRNAs and 609 SNPs in mature miRNAs. We also discovered that SNP densities of the pre-miRNA and mature miRNAs are lower than the adjacent flanking regions. Also the flanking regions far away from miRNAs appeared to have higher SNP density. In addition, we also found that transitions were more frequent than transversions in miRNAs. Notably, 841 SNPs could change their corresponding miRNA's secondary structure from stable to unstable. We also performed target gain and loss analysis of 163 miRNAs and our results showed that few miRNAs remained unchanged and many miRNAs from wild mice gained target site. These results outline the first case of SNP variations in the mouse whole genome scale. Those miRNAs with changes in structure or target could be of interest for further studies.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphism in hsa-miR-499 and hsa-miR-196a2 with the risk of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one the most common malignant cancers in men. Micro-RNAs are a group of a noncoding small molecule, which plays critical roles in signalling pathways, metabolism, apoptosis and cancer development. The purpose of this study was to examine the possible association between the hsa-miR-499 (rs3746444) and hsa-miR-196a2 (rs11614913) gene polymorphisms with the risk of PCa.

METHODS

The case-control investigation was performed on 300 peripheral blood samples, consisting of 150 patients with PCa and 150 healthy men without a family history of cancers. Genetic variations of hsa-miR-499 and hsa-miR-196a2 genes were assessed using the PCR-RFLP method.

RESULTS

The T/T + TC/CC genotype frequencies showed a significant association between has-mir499 (rs3746444 T>C) gene polymorphism with the risk of PCa (p = 0.027; OR 1.780; 95% CI 1.030-3.113). The genotype frequencies of hsa-miR-196a2 gene did not reveal a statistically significant difference between two groups (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings supported that hsa-miR-499 gene polymorphism significantly increased susceptibility to PCa and may be considered as a potential prognostic biomarker in PCa patients. The findings suggested that no correlation between hsa-miR-196a2 gene polymorphism and PCa susceptibility in an Iranian population.

Impacts of single nucleotide polymorphisms in three microRNAs (miR-146a, miR-196a2 and miR-499) on the susceptibility to cervical cancer among Indian women

Background: Cervical cancer is the second major female cancer in India and constitutes one-fourth of the world's burden. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is an essential but insufficient cause for cervical cancer. Genetic variants in microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) play an important role in the susceptibility of various types of cancers.Objective: To evaluate the association of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in miR-146a (rs2910164), miR-196a2 (rs11614913), and miR-499 (rs3746444), with cervical cancer susceptibility in Indian population.Methods: Three hundred samples were genotyped by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Both patients and controls were also screened for the presence of HPV DNA.Results: In this case-control study, 125 (83.3%) cervical cancer cases were found to be infected with HPV DNA. The frequency of miR-146a C allele was higher in controls than in cases [odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) = 0.81 (0.57-1.14), P-value = 0.258]. miR-196a2 T allele was found to be associated with the decreased risk of cervical cancer [OR (95% CI) = 0.36 (0.26-0.50), P-value<0.0001]. Approximately 1.22-fold increased risk has been observed in individuals carrying miR-499 TT genotypes [OR (95% CI) = 1.22 (0.63-2.36), P-value = 0.617]. Interaction studies for miR-196a2/miR-499 loci showed that women carrying TT/CC and TT/CT genotypes were less likely to develop cervical cancer than CC/CC combination [P<0.05]. Likewise, miR-146a/miR-196a2 genotypic combinations (CC/TT, CG/TT, GG/TT) followed the similar trend [P<0.05], exhibited the protective effect against cervical cancer with reference to CC/CC group. Combined genotypes of miR-146a/miR-499 [CC/CT, CG/CC, CG/CT, CG/TT, GG/CC, GG/CT, GG/TT] demonstrated a non-significant trend toward higher cervical cancer risk [OR > 1.00, P>0.05].Conclusion: Polymorphisms in miR-146a, miR-196a2, and miR-499 individually or collectively have the prospective to emerge as biomarkers for cervical cancer.

Identification of miR-146a and miR-196a-2 single nucleotide polymorphisms at patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer

MicroRNAs play an essential role in the regulation of gene expression and tumor development. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) can be observed in miRNAs and could influence gene expression. We aimed to identify miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-196a-2 rs11614913 polymorphisms in ovarian cancer patients and controls. 75 patients and 75 controls were involved. DNA was isolated from blood samples. MiR-146a rs2910164 and miR-196a-2 rs11614913 were determined by LightSnip kit. We used melting curve analysis for allele classification. Network analysis was made to find common target genes. We detected 72.67% G allele frequency of miR-146a rs2910164 in controls and 82.00% in patients group (p = 0,053). GG, GC and CC genotypes occurred with 53.33%, 38.67% and 8.00% among controls, with 65.33%, 33.33% and 1.33% among patients, (p = 0.0917). Allele C of miR-196a-2 rs11614913 occurred in 59.33% of controls and in 67.33% of patients (p = 0.15). CC, CT and TT genotypes occurred with 37.33%, 44.00%, and 18.67% frequency in controls, with 46.67%; 41.33% and 12.00% in patients (p = 0.3815). Network analysis found ATG9A, LBR, MBD4 and RUFY2 genes to be targets for both miRNAs. SNPs of miR-146a and miR-196a-2 showed no significant differences between patients and controls. More investigations are required to clarify the exact role of these SNPs in ovarian cancer.

Association of mir-196a-2 rs11614913 and mir-149 rs2292832 Polymorphisms With Risk of Cancer: An Updated Meta-Analysis

Background: Accumulating evidence suggests that functional dysregulations of miRNAs, especially miR-196a-2 and miR-149, in cancers could be attributed to polymorphisms in miRNA sequences. This study was aimed at clarifying the association of mir-196a-2 rs11614913 and mir-149 rs2292832 with cancer risk by performing an updated meta-analysis of genetic association studies. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases were searched until 9 April 2018 to identify eligible studies. Studies should meet the following criteria to be included in the meta-analysis: evaluation of genetic association between rs11614913 and/or rs2292832 and susceptibility to cancer; A case-control design; Written in English; Availability of sufficient data for estimating odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Studies that met the following criteria were excluded: review articles, meta-analysis, abstracts or conference papers; duplicate publications; studies on animals or cell-lines; studies without a case-control design; studies that did not report genotype frequencies. Pooled ORs and 95% CIs were estimated using a total of 111 studies (41,673 cases and 49,570 controls) for mir-196a rs11614913 and 44 studies (15,954 cases and 19,594 controls) for mir-149 rs2292832. Stratified analysis according to quality scores, genotyping method, ethnicity, broad cancer category and cancer type was also performed. Results: Mir-196a-2 rs11614913 T allele was associated with decreased cancer risk in overall population. The association was only significant in Asians but not Caucasians. In subgroup analysis, significant associations were found in high quality studies, gynecological cancers, ovarian, breast, and hepatocellular cancer. Mir-149 rs2292832 was not associated with cancer risk in overall population and there were no differences between Asians and Caucasians. However, the T allele was associated with a decrease risk of gastrointestinal tract cancers under the heterozygote model and an increased risk of colorectal cancer under the recessive model. Conclusions: The present meta-analysis suggests that mir-196a-2 rs11614913 may contribute to the risk of cancer especially in Asians. Mir-149 rs2292832 may modulate the risk of gastrointestinal tract cancers especially colorectal cancer. This study had some limitations such as significant heterogeneity in most contrasts, limited number of studies enrolling Africans or Caucasians ancestry and lack of adjustment for covariates and environmental interactions.

A Meta-Analysis of miR-499 rs3746444 Polymorphism for Cancer Risk of Different Systems: Evidence From 65 Case-Control Studies

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous, short and non-coding RNAs that may play important roles in the pathogenesis of tumor. The associations between microRNA-499 rs3746444 polymorphism and cancer risk in different systems remain inconclusive. This article is aimed to obtain more exact estimation of these relationships through a meta-analysis based on 52,456 individuals. We retrieved relevant and eligible studies from Pubmed and Embase database up to January 10, 2018. ORs and 95% CIs were used to estimate the associations between miR-499 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility in different systems. All analyses were performed using the Stata 11.0 software. A total of 65 case-control studies were retrieved using explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study included 23,762 cases and 28,694 controls. Overall cancer analysis showed the association between miR-499 polymorphism and susceptibility to cancer was significant. MicroRNA-499 rs3746444 was found to be significantly associated with increased risk of cancer of the respiratory system (CC vs. TT: OR = 1.575, 95% CI = 1.268–1.955, CC vs. TC+TT: OR = 1.527, 95% CI = 1.232–1.892), digestive system (CC vs. TT: OR = 1.153, 95% CI = 1.027–1.295; TC vs. TT: OR = 1.109, 95% CI = 1.046–1.176; CC+TC vs. TT: OR = 1.112, 95% CI = 1.018–1.216; CC vs. TC+TT: OR = 1.137, 95% CI = 1.016–1.272; C vs. T: OR = 1.112, 95% CI = 1.025–1.206), urinary system (TC vs. TT: OR = 1.307, 95% CI = 1.130–1.512; CC+TC vs. TT: OR = 1.259, 95% CI = 1.097–1.446; C vs. T: OR = 1.132, 95% CI = 1.014–1.264), and gynecological system (C vs. T: OR = 1.169, 95% CI = 1.002–1.364). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, the result showed that significant association with an increased cancer risk was found in Asian. Subgroup analysis based on type of tumor was also performed, miR-499 rs3746444 is associated with susceptibility of cervical squamous cell carcinoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Genetic Polymorphisms in miR-146a, miR-196a2 and miR-125a Genes and its Association in Prostate Cancer

The increase in incidence of prostate cancer in the Indian Population stresses the need to identify genetic markers for susceptibility and prognosis. Recent studies show that microRNAs play an important role in tumorigenesis by altering proliferation, differentiation and cell death. Gene polymorphisms not only in promoter region but also within miRNA gene have been shown to affect expression. The present study was aimed to analyze the role of miR-146a, miR-196a2 and miR-125a gene polymorphisms in prostate cancer. Genotyping of three SNPs rs73318382, rs57095329, rs2910164 in miRNA146a, rs11614913 in miR-196a2 and rs41275794, rs12976445, rs10404453 and rs1297533 in miR-125a was performed in 100 cases and 100 controls. Statistical analysis revealed the heterozygous AG genotype of the rs57095329 was significantly decreased in the cases when compared to the controls (OR-0.45, CI -0.24 to 0.85, p value-0.02) indicating an inverse association of this genotype with prostate cancer. Further the heterozygous CT of miR-196a2 (rs11614913) (OR-1.88, CI-1.06 to 3.35, p-0.02) and homozygous CC of miR-125a (rs12976445) (OR-2.55, CI -1.15 to 4.65, p-0.03) showed increased risk for prostate cancer. Combined analysis of all the genotypes revealed that the haplotype combination AGGCGTGG (OR = 0.09 at CI 95% (0.01-0.65) showed an inverse association with prostate cancer. Stratified analysis based on the age and tumor grade revealed no significant association.

rs11614913 polymorphism in miRNA-196a2 and cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis

Several epidemiological studies have reported that polymorphisms in microRNA-196a2 (miR-196a2) were associated with various cancers. However, the results remained unverified and were inconsistent in different cancers. Therefore, we carried out an updated meta-analysis to elaborate the effects of rs11614913 polymorphism on cancer susceptibility. A total of 84 articles with 35,802 cases and 41,541 controls were included to evaluate the association between the miR-196a2 rs11614913 and cancer risk by pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The results showed that miR-196a2 rs11614913 polymorphism is associated with cancer susceptibility, especially in lung cancer (homozygote comparison, OR =0.840, 95% CI =0.734-0.961; recessive model, OR =0.858, 95% CI =0.771-0.955), hepatocellular carcinoma (allelic contrast, OR =0.894, 95% CI =0.800-0.998; homozygote comparison, OR =0.900, 95% CI =0.813-0.997; recessive model, OR =0.800, 95% CI =0.678-0.944), and head and neck cancer (allelic contrast, OR =1.076, 95% CI =1.006-1.152; homozygote comparison, OR =1.214, 95% CI =1.043-1.413). In addition, significant association was found among Asian populations (allele model, OR =0.847, 95% CI =0.899-0.997, P=0.038; homozygote model, OR =0.878, 95% CI =0.788-0.977, P=0.017; recessive model, OR =0.895, 95% CI =0.824-0.972, P=0.008) but not in Caucasians. The updated meta-analysis confirmed the previous results that miR-196a2 rs11614913 polymorphism may serve as a risk factor for patients with cancers.

miR-146a C/G polymorphism increased the risk of head and neck cancer, but overall cancer risk: an analysis of 89 studies

Several studies have evaluated the association of miR-146a C/G with head and neck cancer (HNC) susceptibility, and overall cancer risk, but with inconclusive outcomes. To drive a more precise estimation, we carried out this meta-analysis. The literature was searched from MEDLINE (mainly PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases to identify eligible studies. A total of 89 studies were included. The results showed that miR-146a C/G was significantly associated with increased HNC risk in dominant model (I² =15.6%, P_{heterogeneity}=0.282, odds ratio (OR) =1.088, 95% confidence interval (CI) =1.002–1.182, P=0.044). However, no cancer risk was detected under all genetic models. By further stratified analysis, we found that rs4919510 mutation contributed to the risk of HNC amongst Asians under homozygote model (I² =0, P_{heterogeneity}=0.541, OR =1.189, 95% CI =1.025–1.378, P=0.022), and dominant model (I² =0, P_{heterogeneity}=0.959, OR =1.155, 95% CI =1.016–1.312, P=0.028). Simultaneously, in the stratified analysis by source of controls, a significantly increased cancer risk amongst population-based studies was found under homozygote model, dominant model, recessive model, and allele comparison model. However, no significant association was found in the stratified analysis by ethnicity and source of control. The results indicated that miR-146a C/G polymorphism may contribute to the increased HNC susceptibility and could be a promising target to forecast cancer risk for clinical practice. However, no significant association was found in subgroup analysis by ethnicity and source of control. To further confirm these results, well-designed large-scale case–control studies are needed in the future.

Comprehensive Review of Genetic Association Studies and Meta-Analysis on polymorphisms in microRNAs and Urological Neoplasms Risk

Gene expression is negatively regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs), which commonly act as tumor oncogenes or suppressors. Previous results were inconsistent concerning the relationship between polymorphisms in miRNAs and risk of urological neoplasms. Here, we conducted a comprehensive literature research on diverse databases aiming at enrolling all eligible studies up to August 31, 2016. A total of 13 publications comprising 29 case-control studies were enrolled for three polymorphisms in three miRNAs. Overall analyses suggested significant associations between miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism and urological neoplasms risk in allelic, homozygote and recessive models. In the stratified analysis by ethnicity, we uncovered a significant association between rs2910164 polymorphism and risk of urological neoplasms in Asian populations in allelic, homozygote and recessive models. Highlighted, when stratified analysis was conducted by cancer type, rs2910164 polymorphism was also significantly associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer in allelic, homozygote and recessive models. Although for rs11614913 and rs3746444 polymorphisms, overall analyses suggested negative results, for rs11614913 polymorphism, when subgroup analysis was conducted by cancer type, a significantly decreased risk of renal cell cancer was identified in recessive model. In brief, current work indicated that miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism is a risk factor for urological neoplasms, particularly for bladder cancer.

Systematic evaluation of cancer risk associated with rs2292832 in miR‑149 and rs895819 in miR‑27a: a comprehensive and updated meta‑analysis

The aim of this study is to provide a precise quantification for the association between miR-149 T > C (rs2292832) and miR-27a A > G (rs895819) and the risk of cancer. We conducted a systematic literature review and evaluated the quality of included studies based on Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to assess the strengths of the associations. We identified 40 studies for pooled analyses. Overall, the results demonstrated that the rs2292832 polymorphism was subtly decrease the risk of breast cancer (CT + CC vs TT: OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.70-0.98, P = 0.03; CC vs CT + TT: OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.68-0.93, P = 0.00), and the rs895819 polymorphism wasassociated with significantly increased cancer risk in the Asian population (AG + GG vs AA: OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.03-1.50, P = 0.02) and in colorectal cancer subgroup (GG vs AA: OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.10-1.92, P = 0.00; AG + GG vs AA: OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.15-1.58, P = 0.00; GG vs AG + AA: OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.04-1.77, P = 0.02). In addition, a subtly decreased risk was observed in the Caucasian population and in breast cancer subgroup. In conclusion, the rs2292832 polymorphism was significantly associated with increased breast cancer risk, and the rs895819 polymorphism contributes to the susceptibility of colorectal and breast cancer.

Association of miR-196a2 rs11614913 and miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphisms with cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, which participate in diverse biological processes and may regulate tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. Rs11614913 in miR-196a2 and rs3746444 in miR-499 are shown to associate with increased/decreased cancer risk. This meta-analysis was performed to systematically assess the overall association.

Materials and Methods

We searched Pubmed, Web of Knowledge, EMBASE, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases until December 2016 to identify eligible studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the strength of the associations.

Results

We assessed published studies of the association between these microRNA polymorphisms and cancer risk from 56 studies with 21958/26436 cases/controls for miR-196a2 and from 37 studies with 13759/17946 cases/controls for miR-499. The results demonstrated that miR-196a2 rs11614913 was significantly associated with a decreased cancer risk, in particular with a decreased risk for colorectal cancer and gastric cancer, or for Asian population subgroup. In addition, miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphism was observed as a risk factor for cancers, in particular, for breast cancer, or for in the Asian population.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis suggests that the rs11614913 most likely contributes to decreased susceptibility to cancer, especially in Asians and colorectal cancer and gastric cancer, and that the rs3746444 may increase risk for cancer. Furthermore, more well-designed studies with large sample size are still necessary to further elucidate the association between polymorphisms and different kinds of cancers risk.

VEGF Polymorphisms Among Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degenerative Subjects in a Multiethnic Population

AIM

To determine the association of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) polymorphisms with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred thirty-five nAMD patients and 135 controls were recruited to determine the association of the -460 C/T, the -2549 I/D, and the +405 G/C polymorphisms with the VEGF gene. Genotyping was conducted using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) approach, and association analyses were conducted using chi-square analysis and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A significant association was observed between nAMD and the VEGF +405 G/C genotypes (p = 0.002) and alleles (odds ratio = 1.36, 95% confidence interval = 1.12-1.62, p = < 0.001) compared with the controls. This association was confirmed by logistic regression analyses, using two different genetic models (additive and dominant) resulting in p-values of p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively. In addition, the dominant model of VEGF +405 G/C was also found to be at risk of the CC genotype with nAMD among subjects that were aged ≥60 years, female, of Chinese ethnicity, hypertensive, diabetic, and smokers.

CONCLUSION

With the exception of several limitations, the present study showed evidence of an association between the VEGF +405 G/C polymorphism and nAMD in Malaysian subjects.

Association between Polymorphisms in MicroRNAs and Risk of Urological Cancer: A Meta-Analysis Based on 17,019 Subjects

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) existing in miRNAs correlate with the susceptibility to urological cancers. However, a clear consensus still not reached due to the limited statistical power in individual study. Thus, we concluded a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the association between microRNA SNPs and urological cancer risk. Eligible studies were collected from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and CNKI databases. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to assess the strength of the relationships between three SNPs (miR-196a2, C>T rs11614913; miR-146a, G>C rs2910164; and miR-499, A>G rs3746444) and the risk of urological cancers. In addition, the stability of our analysis was evaluated by publication bias, sensitivity and heterogeneity analysis. Overall, a total of 17,019 subjects from 14 studies were included in this meta-analysis. We found that CT (miR-196a2, C>T rs11614913) was a risk factor for renal cell carcinoma (CT vs. CC: OR = 1.72, 95%CI = 1.05-2.80, P = 0.03, I² = 66%), especially in Asian population (CT vs. CC: OR = 1.17, 95%CI = 1.04-1.32, P < 0.01, I² = 0%). miR-146a G>C rs2910164 was a protective factor of urological cancers (C vs. G: OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.81-0.93, P < 0.01, I² = 0%), especially for bladder cancer. miR-499 A>G rs3746444 was correlated with an increased risk of urological cancers, specifically in Asian population. In conclusion, our meta-analysis suggests that polymorphisms in microRNAs, miR-196a2, C>T rs11614913, miR-146a G>C rs2910164 and miR-499 A>G rs3746444, may be associated with the development of urological cancers and the risks mainly exist in Asian populations.

A functional variant of miRNA-149 confers risk for allergic rhinitis and comorbid asthma in Chinese children

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma has been increasing, and the comorbidity rates of these diseases are very high. Here, 176 AR patients, 124 patients with comorbid AR and asthma (AR-A) and 206 healthy Chinese children as controls were included in a case-control study. Six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), miR-146a (rs2910164, rs57095329 and rs6864584), miR-196a2 (rs11614913), miR-499 (rs3746444) and miR-149 (rs2292832), were genotyped. The prevalence of homozygous miR-149 (rs2292832) CC genotype and C allele were considerably increased in AR and AR-A patients, compared with the controls. AR-A group showed higher frequencies of CC genotype and C allele of rs2292832 than AR group. No significant difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of other miRNA SNPs was found between the groups. MiR-149 levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were significantly lower in CC (variant type) cases compared with TT (wild-type) cases. In further experiments, PBMCs obtained from the healthy controls with CC, CT and TT genotypes were stimulated by house dust mite extracts, which led to a significant decrease in the levels of miR-149 in PBMCs obtained from CC and TT individuals. This decrease was more pronounced in CC compared with TT cases. Our results demonstrate that miR-149 rs2292832 variant is not only strongly associated with AR and AR-A, but it may lead to an increase in the susceptibility to allergies following the stimulation with an allergen, through the changes in miR149 expression. Additionally, AR patients with CC genotypes were shown to be more susceptible to asthma.

LncRNA PVT1 regulates prostate cancer cell growth by inducing the methylation of miR-146a

Prostate cancer is the third most common causes of death from cancer in men. Our previous study demonstrated that lncRNA PVT1 was overexpressed and played an oncogenic role in the progression of prostate cancer. However, the molecular mechanism of modulating the prostate cancer tumorigenesis was still unknown. In this study, we aim to investigate the interaction between PVT1 and miR-146a in prostate cancer and reveal the potential mechanism in prostate cancer carcinogenesis. The expression level of miR-146a was assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. The correlation analysis and methylation status analysis was made to confirm the interaction between PVT1 and miR-146a. Biological function analysis was performed through gain-of-function and loss-of-function strategies. Our results showed that miR-146a was downregulated and negatively correlated with PVT1 level in prostate cancer. PVT1 mediated miR-146a expression by inducing the methylation of CpG Island in its promoter. miR-146a overexpression eliminated the effects of PVT1 knockdown on prostate cancer cells. PVT1 regulated prostate cancer cell viability and apoptosis depending on miR-146a. Our study suggested a regulatory relationship between lncRNA PVT1 and miR-146a during the process of the prostate cancer tumorigenesis. PVT1 regulated prostate cancer cell viability and apoptosis depending on miR-146a. It would contribute to the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of prostate cancer.

Effect of rs11614913 Polymorphism on Mature miR196a2 Expression and its Target Gene HOXC8 Expression in Human Glioma

miRNA polymorphisms are recently identified as a risk factor for various cancers, and it is associated with change in the expression of target genes in vitro. rs11614913 polymorphism in miR196a2 was associated with risk of glioma in Chinese population. In this study, we have evaluated the role of rs11614913 polymorphism and glioma risk in Indian population in 180 cases and controls. Seventy-two glioma tissue-blood pairs were also assessed for mutation in this SNP. Further, the effect of this polymorphism on mature miR196a2 expression and HOXC8 gene expression was analysed in 33 glioma tissue samples with different genotypes. Allelic discrimination assay was performed for genotyping and quantitative real time PCR for the expression of miR196a2 and HOXC8 gene. We could not find any association between rs11614913 polymorphism and glioma risk in Indian population. The rs11614913 genotyping of glioma tissue and blood pair revealed presence of mutations showing changes from C to T allele in majority of samples. The expression of the mature miR196a2 was significantly high in glioma samples, but there was no difference in expression with genotype. HOXC8 gene expression was not significantly different in glioma tissue when compared to non-glioma and interestingly there was a significant difference in expression with different genotypes, especially TT genotype was showing over expression when compared to other genotypes. Our study suggests that the rs11614913 polymorphism does not affect the mature miRNA expression, but shows its effect through target gene HOXC8 expression in glioma.

Genetic Variation in MicroRNAs and Risk of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma in South Indian Population

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, implicated in several activities like initiation, progression and prognosis of various cancers. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA genes can lead to alteration in mRNA expression, resulting in diverse functional consequences. The aim of our study was to investigate the association of miR-149C>T and miR-196a2C>T SNPs with susceptibility to development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in South Indian subjects.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

100 OSCC patients and 102 healthy controls from the general population were recruited for the study. Genetic analysis was performed by polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP) as per a standard protocol.

RESULTS

The genotype frequencies in miR-196a2 polymorphism, of TT, CT and CC in the OSCC patients were 69%,10% and 22% respectively while for control group it was 80%, 15% and 5% respectively. The CC genotype of miR196a2 polymorphism was significantly associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The genotype frequencies in miR-149 polymorphisms of CC, CT and TT in the oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients were 72%, 22% and 6% respectively and for control group 88%, 12% and 0% respectively. CT and TT genotypes of miR149 polymorphism were found to be significantly associated with OSCC (p = 0.05 and 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that miR-196a2C>T and miR-149C>T polymorphisms may play crucial roles in the development of OSCC in South Indian subjects.

Genetic variants in RNA-induced silencing complex genes and prostate cancer

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential association between genetic variants in genes encoding the components of RNA-induced silencing complex and prostate cancer (PCa) risk. Genetic variants chosen for this study are rs3742330 in DICER1, rs4961280 in AGO2, rs784567 in TARBP2, rs7813 in GEMIN4 and rs197414 in GEMIN3.

METHODS

The study involved 355 PCa patients, 360 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia and 318 healthy controls. For individuals diagnosed with PCa, clinicopathological characteristics including serum prostate-specific antigen level at diagnosis, Gleason score (GS) and clinical stage were determined. Genotyping was performed using high-resolution melting analysis, PCR-RFLP, TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay and real-time PCR-based genotyping assay using specific probes. Allelic and genotypic associations were evaluated by unconditional linear and logistic regression methods.

RESULTS

The study provided no evidence of association between the analyzed genetic variants and PCa risk. Nevertheless, allele A of rs784567 was found to confer the reduced risk of higher serum PSA level at diagnosis (P = 0.046; Difference = -66.64, 95 % CI -131.93 to 1.35, for log-additive model). Furthermore, rs4961280, as well as rs3742330, were shown to be associated with GS. These variants, together with rs7813, were found to be associated with the lower clinical stage of PCa. Also, rs3742330 minor allele G was found to be associated with lower PCa aggressiveness (P = 0.036; OR 0.14, 95 % CI 0.023-1.22, for recessive model).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our data, rs3742330, rs4961280 and rs7813 qualify for potentially protective genetic variants against PCa progression. These variants were not shown to be associated with PCa risk.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphism in miR-499, miR-196a2, miR-146a and miR-149 and prostate cancer risk in a sample of Iranian population

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level and are involved in numerous physiological processes. Accumulating evidence suggests that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human miRNA genes may affect miRNA biogenesis pathway and influence the susceptibility to several diseases such as cancer. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of miR-499 rs3746444, miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-149 rs2292832, and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphisms on prostate cancer (PCa) risk in a sample of Iranian population. This case-control study was done on 169 patients with pathologically confirmed PCa and 182 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The genotyping assays were done using T-ARMS-PCR or PCR-RFLP methods. The findings indicated that CC genotype of miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphism increased the risk of PCa (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.12-2.79, P = 0.019) compared to TT genotype. No statistically significant association was found between miR-196a2 rs11614913, miR-149 rs2292832, and miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphisms and PCa risk. In summary, the findings indicated that miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphism increased the risk of PCa in an Iranian population. Further studies with larger sample sizes and different ethnicities are necessary to verify the findings of the present study.

The association between miR-499 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility: a meta-analysis

Background

MicroRNAs are a class of new noncoding RNA that play important roles in the pathogenesis of tumor. Rs3746444 in miR-499 is suggested to be associated with cancer susceptibility. In the present study, we assess the association between miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility through a meta-analysis.

Methods

We searched relevant articles from the PubMed and Embase databases. We screened all the resulting articles for adherence to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The associations between miR-499 polymorphism and cancer susceptibility were estimated by computing the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All analyses were performed using Stata software.

Results

There are 18 datasets included in the analysis. Statistically significant associations were found between the miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphism and susceptibility to cancer (GG versus AA: OR =1.24, 95% CI: 1.01–1.52; G versus A: OR =1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23). A subsequent analysis, on the basis of ethnicity for the population characteristic, showed that Asians had increased susceptibility to cancer (GG versus AA: OR =1.32, 95% CI: 1.09–1.59; GG + AG versus AA: OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.01–1.37). In the subgroup analysis of tumor type, none of the genetic models had statistically significant results. The meta-regression suggested that race and cancer types are not the source of heterogeneity in the present meta-analysis. No publication bias was detected by either the inverted funnel plot or Egger’s test.

Conclusion

Rs3746444 in miR-499 might be related to susceptibility to cancer.

Assessment of association between genetic variants in microRNA genes hsa-miR-499, hsa-miR-196a2 and hsa-miR-27a and prostate cancer risk in Serbian population

Due to their potentially functional significance, genetic variants within microRNA genes have been recognized as candidates for cancer-related genetic biomarkers. Among the most extensively studied so far are rs3746444, rs11614913 and rs895819. Nevertheless, only few previous studies in Asian population analyzed the association of rs3746444 and rs11614913 with prostate cancer (PCa) risk, while rs895819 was not evaluated in relation to this issue. The aim of this study was to assess the possible association between these genetic variants and PCa risk and progression in Serbian population. 355 samples of peripheral blood were obtained from the patients with PCa and 353 samples from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 312 volunteers derived from general population who gave samples of buccal swabs were included in the control group. Genotyping of rs3746444, rs11614913 and rs895819 was performed by using PCR-RFLP method, HRM analysis and allele-specific PCR, respectively. Allelic and genotypic associations were evaluated by unconditional linear (for serum PSA level in PCa patients) and logistic regression method with adjustment for age. Minor allele C of rs895819 was found to be associated with the increased risk of developing PCa under dominant (P=0.035; OR=1.38, 95%CI 1.02-1.86) and overdominant (P=0.04; OR=1.37, 95%CI 1.01-1.85) genetic model. Same genetic variant was found to be associated with the clinical stage of localized PCa, as well as with the presence of distant metastases. Allele G of rs3746444 was also shown to be associated with the decreased risk of PCa progression. According to our data, rs3746444 qualifies for a genetic variant potentially associated with PCa aggressiveness in Serbian population. Furthermore, our study provided the first evidence of association between rs895819 and PCa risk, as well as for its genetic association with the presence of distant metastases among PCa patients.

Genetic variants of MicroRNA-related genes in susceptibility and prognosis of end-stage renal disease and renal allograft outcome among north Indians

BACKGROUND AND AIM

MicroRNAs are important molecules of the innate and adaptive immune system, which may play an important role in maintaining normal immune homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of MIR146A C>G (rs2910164), MIR149 T>C (rs2292832), MIR196A2 T>C (rs11614913), and MIR499A A>G (rs3746444) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and acute allograft rejection (AR) cases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Genotyping of MicroRNA SNPs was performed using a PCR, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism in 350 ESRD patients and 350 age-matched, sex-matched, and ethnically matched controls.

RESULTS

We observed an increased risk of almost two-fold for ESRD and three-fold for AR cases under univariate and multivariate models for mutant genotypes of rs2910164, rs11614913, and rs3746444 SNPs. Subsequently, no susceptible/protective effect was observed for rs2292832 SNP with ESRD and AR cases. Interestingly, all the SNPs that were significant after multiple comparisons in ESRD and AR cases remained significant in the bootstrap analysis, providing internal validation to our initial observations. Survival analysis showed that the mutant genotypes of rs2910164, rs11614913, and rs3746444 SNPs were associated with the lowest overall survival compared with heterozygous and wild genotypes among renal allograft recipients. The crude and adjusted hazard ratios in univariate and multivariate Cox regression models showed an almost two-fold increased risk for overall survival against mutant genotypes of rs2910164, rs11614913, and rs3746444 SNPs in renal allograft recipients.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the variants of MicroRNA SNPs, namely, rs2910164, rs11614913, and rs3746444, might be involved in susceptibility to ESRD and AR.

Genetic variants in miRNA processing genes and pre-miRNAs are associated with the risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have identified several low-penetrance susceptibility alleles in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Nevertheless, these studies scarcely study regions that are implicated in non-coding molecules such as microRNAs (miRNAs). Abnormalities in miRNAs, as altered expression patterns and mutations, have been described in CLL, suggesting their implication in the development of the disease. Genetic variations in miRNAs can affect levels of miRNA expression if present in pre-miRNAs and in miRNA biogenesis genes or alter miRNA function if present in both target mRNA and miRNA sequences. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate whether polymorphisms in pre-miRNAs, and/or miRNA processing genes contribute to predisposition for CLL. A total of 91 SNPs in 107 CLL patients and 350 cancer-free controls were successfully analyzed using TaqMan Open Array technology. We found nine statistically significant associations with CLL risk after FDR correction, seven in miRNA processing genes (rs3805500 and rs6877842 in DROSHA, rs1057035 in DICER1, rs17676986 in SND1, rs9611280 in TNRC6B, rs784567 in TRBP and rs11866002 in CNOT1) and two in pre-miRNAs (rs11614913 in miR196a2 and rs2114358 in miR1206). These findings suggest that polymorphisms in genes involved in miRNAs biogenesis pathway as well as in pre-miRNAs contribute to the risk of CLL. Large-scale studies are needed to validate the current findings.

Individualized medicine enabled by genomics in Saudi Arabia

The biomedical research sector in Saudi Arabia has recently received special attention from the government, which is currently supporting research aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of common diseases afflicting Saudi Arabian society. To build capacity for research and training, a number of centres of excellence were established in different areas of the country. Among these, is the Centre of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, with its internationally ranked and highly productive team performing translational research in the area of individualized medicine. Here, we present a panorama of the recent trends in different areas of biomedical research in Saudi Arabia drawing from our vision of where genomics will have maximal impact in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We describe advances in a number of research areas including; congenital malformations, infertility, consanguinity and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, cancer and genomic classifications in Saudi Arabia, epigenetic explanations of idiopathic disease, and pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. We conclude that CEGMR will continue to play a pivotal role in advances in the field of genomics and research in this area is facing a number of challenges including generating high quality control data from Saudi population and policies for using these data need to comply with the international set up.

Functional genetic variants in pre-miR-146a and 196a2 genes are associated with risk of lung cancer in North Indians

OBJECTIVE

To find the association of two pre-miRNA polymorphisms with risk of lung cancer in North Indians.

MATERIALS & METHODS

Genotyping of 250 cases and 255 controls for miR-146a and miR-196a2 using PCR-RFLP.

RESULTS

Heterozygous subjects showed a risk toward lung cancer (LC), especially for adenocarcinoma (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.04-3.20; p = 0.03) in miR-146a gene. TT genotype for miR-196a2 gene also showed 3.2-fold risk toward LC and the risk was fivefold higher for squamous cell carcinoma. Survival rate was significantly lower in subjects with TT genotype as compared with the CC genotype in miR-196a2.

CONCLUSION

Both the single nucleotide polymorphism variants showed a positive association toward risk of lung cancer.

Meta-analysis of Hsa-mir-499 polymorphism (rs3746444) for cancer risk: evidence from 31 case-control studies

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of endogenous, small and non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression negatively at the post-transcriptional level by suppressing translation or degrading target mRNAs, and are involved in diverse biological and pathological processes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) which are located in the miRNA-coding genes may participate in the process of development and diseases by altering the expression of mature miRNA. Recent studies investigating the association between hsa-mir-499 polymorphism (rs3746444) and cancer risk have yielded conflicting results.

METHODS

In this meta-analysis, we conducted a search of case-control studies on the associations of SNP rs3746444 with susceptibility to cancer in electronic databases. A total of 31 studies involving 12799 cases and 14507 controls were retrieved and the strength of the association was estimated by pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was assessed by the goodness-of-fit chi-square test in controls. Subgroup analyses were done by racial descent and cancer type. Publication bias of literatures was evaluated by visual inspection of funnel plots and the linear regression asymmetry test by Egger et al. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by excluding one study at a time to examine the influence of individual data set on the pooled ORs.

RESULTS

Overall, significant association between rs3746444 polymorphism and susceptibility to cancer was identified in TC versus TT and TC/CC versus TT (dominant) models. In the stratified analyses, increased risks were found in Asians, but not in Caucasians in all comparison models tested. Moreover, significant association with an increased risk was found in Chinese population. Also, much higher significant association with increased cancer risks were found in Iranian population. In different cancer types, a decreased risk was found in esophageal cancer.

CONCLUSION

Our meta-analysis suggested that hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 T > C polymorphism is associated with the risk of cancer in Asians, mainly in Iranian and Chinese population. However, rs3746444 T > C polymorphism is negatively associated with the risk of esophageal cancer.

The association between miR-146a gene rs2910164 polymorphism and gastric cancer risk: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Studies have demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNAs may lead to varying functional outcomes by altering miRNAs expression, even leading to the development of cancers. The association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in miR-146a rs2910164 and susceptibility to gastric cancer has been studied during the recent years, but the results are still inconclusive and inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism and the risk of gastric cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The databases of PubMed, MEDLINE and Web of Science were searched for suitable studies. A total of 8 published case-control studies on miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism and gastric cancer risk including 4308 cases and 6370 controls were included.

RESULTS

Overall, significant association was observed between rs2910164 and gastric cancer risk in allele model (OR=1.11, 95% CI=1.02-1.21); homozygote model (OR=1.26, 95% CI=1.10-1.43) and dominant model (OR=1.21, 95% CI=1.09-1.34). Stratified analysis by ethnicity showed significant association between rs2910164 polymorphism and gastric cancer susceptibility in Asians (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.00-1.23 for G vs. C; OR=1.25, 95% CI=1.09-1.43 for GG vs. CC; OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.07-1.33 for GG vs. GC+CC, respectively). When stratified by genotyping methods and sample size, increased gastric cancer risk was only observed with the method by TaqMan and the sample size more than 1000.

CONCLUSION

In summary, this meta-analysis indicated that miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism was associated with the susceptibility to gastric cancer, especially in Asian population.

Comprehensive review of genetic association studies and meta-analysis on miRNA polymorphisms and rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility

BACKGROUND

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small RNA molecules, play a role in the development and differentiation of immune cells in both innate and adaptive immune responses. Our study was aimed to investigate the association between three miRNA polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by using meta-analysis approach.

METHODS

A PubMed database search was conducted during August 2013 to identify case-control studies of miRNAs and RA or SLE risk. Two authors independently extracted information on the study design, the characteristics of the study participants, exposure and outcome assessments. The fix-effects and random-effects models were used for the risk estimates by Stata 11.0 software.

RESULTS

Our meta-analysis of six case-control studies involving a total of 998 RA cases and 1493 controls identified no significant association between mir-146a rs2910164 and RA, with an overall OR of 0.843 (95% CI=0.642-1.105; CC vs. GG). No association was observed in three studies with a total of 1532 cases and 2168 controls between miR-146a rs2910164 and SLE risk (OR=0.911, 95% CI=0.710-1.171; CC vs. GG). Three studies with a total of 529 cases and 595 controls evaluated the mir-499 rs3746444 polymorphism and its association with RA. There was a decreased overall risk of RA under the allelic and genotypic models [OR=0.616, 95% CI=0.384-0.981, (T vs. C allele) and OR=0.386, 95% CI=0.226-0.659, (TT vs. CC)]. Two studies with 4826 cases and 4181 controls evaluated miR-146a rs57095329 and its association with SLE. There was a significant association between miR-146a rs57095329 and SLE (OR=1.263, 95% CI=1.136-1.405, G vs. A allele).

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis suggests important roles for the mir-499 rs3746444 polymorphism in RA, especially in the Caucasian population and for miR-146a rs57095329 polymorphism in SLE. Further studies with large sample size are needed to confirm these associations.

Association between genetic variant in hsa-miR-146a gene and prostate cancer progression: evidence from Serbian population

PURPOSE

Two previous studies of association between rs2910164 in miR-146a gene and prostate cancer (PCa) risk have provided opposing results. Furthermore, no evidence of association of this SNP with standard prognostic parameters of PCa progression was obtained in mentioned studies. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the possible association between PCa onset and progression to a more aggressive form, since it has not been assessed in a population of European descent.

METHODS

In this study, 286 samples of peripheral blood were obtained from patients with PCa, while the control group comprised 199 volunteers derived from general population who gave samples of buccal swabs. For individuals diagnosed with PCa clinicopathological characteristics including serum prostate-specific antigen level at diagnosis, Gleason score (GS), and clinical stage were determined. Genotyping of rs2910164 was performed using Taqman(®) SNP Genotyping Assay. Analysis of SNP association was done using PLINK and SNPStats software.

RESULTS

rs2910164 showed no association with PCa risk. Nevertheless, heterozygous genotype was found to be associated with higher GS, as well as with the presence of distant metastases. rs2910164 was also shown to be associated with cancer aggressiveness (p = 0.0067; ORGC = 2.22, 95 %CI 1.24-3.97; ORCC = 0.47, 95 %CI 0.13-1.68).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show no evidence of association between rs2910164 and PCa risk in Serbian population. Conversely, this variant was found to be associated with PCa aggressiveness.

Association of a genetic variant in microRNA-146a with risk of colorectal cancer: a population-based case-control study

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate target gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. Although recent studies have indicated that miR-146a is involved in the tumorigenesis of various types of malignancies, few studies have investigated its role in colorectal cancer. In the current study, we examined the expression of miR-146a in colorectal cancer tissue and adjacent normal controls using publicly available expression profiling data. We then conducted a population-based case-control study which included 554 colorectal cancer cases and 566 matched healthy controls to assess the association of a genetic variant (rs2910164) in miR-146a with colorectal cancer susceptibility. We observed decreased expression of miR-146a in rectal cancer tissue compared with adjacent normal controls (P < 0.001). Association between miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism and risk of colorectal cancer was detected with effect modification by alcohol drinking status (P for interaction = 0.010). Among non-alcohol drinkers, individuals with CC/CG genotype had an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer compared with those carrying GG genotype (odds ratio (OR) = 1.63, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.07 ∼ 2.47). Our findings indicate an association between miR-146a dysregulation and colorectal cancer, and suggest that miR-146a may play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Further large population-based prospective studies as well as mechanistic investigations are warranted to validate our findings.

Development of an ELISA for sPSP94 and utility of the sPSP94/sPSA ratio as a diagnostic indicator to differentiate between benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

The serum PSA (sPSA) test has low specificity for prostate cancer (PCa), since sPSA also rises in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Serum PSP94 (sPSP94), a major secreted prostate protein, is indicated as a PCa marker. The potential of sPSP94 and sPSA in conjunction with each other to improve specificity of diagnostic test for PCa needs to be evaluated.

METHODS

PCa patients (n=33), BPH patients (n=44) and healthy controls (n=50) were recruited. A serum-based sandwich ELISA was developed to measure sPSP94 concentrations. Utility of sPSP94 in improving specificity of sPSA test was evaluated by studying sPSP94/sPSA ratios of study participants.

RESULTS

Considerable decrease in overlap among sPSP94/sPSA ratio values of BPH and PCa patients was observed, as compared to sPSP94 or sPSA alone. For differentiating between BPH and PCa patients, this ratio had a maximum area under the curve (AUC) of 0.859 (P=0.0132) and had a comparable sensitivity (90.91%) to sPSA with an increased specificity of 70.45%. Further, decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that sPSP94/sPSA ratio had a superior net benefit in identifying PCa, in patients opting for biopsy.

CONCLUSION

The sPSP94/sPSA ratio can be a better differentiating marker between BPH and PCa, than sPSP94 or sPSA alone.

Noncoding RNA-related polymorphisms in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia susceptibility

BACKGROUND

Evidence for an inherited genetic risk for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia has been provided in several studies. Most of them focused on coding regions. However, those regions represent only 1.5% of the entire genome. In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), it has been suggested that the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is dysregulated, which suggests that they may have a role in ALL risk. Changes in miRNA function may occur through single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether polymorphisms in pre-miRNAs, and/or miRNA-processing genes, contribute to a predisposition for childhood ALL.

METHODS

In this study, we analyzed 118 SNPs in pre-miRNAs and miRNA-processing genes in 213 B-cell ALL patients and 387 controls.

RESULTS

We found 11 SNPs significantly associated with ALL susceptibility. These included three SNPs present in miRNA genes (miR-612, miR-499, and miR-449b) and eight SNPs present in six miRNA biogenesis pathway genes (TNRC6B, DROSHA, DGCR8, EIF2C1, CNOT1, and CNOT6). Among the 118 SNPs analyzed, rs12803915 in mir-612 and rs3746444 in mir-499 exhibited a more significant association, with a P value <0.01.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study indicate that SNP rs12803915 located in pre-mir-612, and SNP rs3746444 located in pre-mir-499, may represent novel markers of B-cell ALL susceptibility.

Hsa-miR-196a2 polymorphism increases the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Chinese children

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in childhood, and the causes of ALL are not completely understood. microRNAs (miRNAs) regulate various biological processes including organ development, cell growth regulation, cell differentiation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. We performed a case-control study with 570 childhood ALL cases and 673 cancer-free controls to investigate the association between hsa-miR-196a2 rs11614913 T>C polymorphism and ALL risk. The bioinformatics was used to estimate the potential target of hsa-miR-196a2. In the present study, the hsa-miR-196a2 variant TC heterozygote, and CC/TC genotypes were found to be associated with a significantly increased childhood ALL risk, compared with the TT wild-type homozygote (adjusted OR=1.50, 95% CI=1.15-1.95 for TC and OR=1.40, 95% CI=1.09-1.79 for CC/TC). Further, the difference was pronounced in younger (≤6) subjects or parental non-drinker. The significance of the increased risk is more obvious than the higher treatment branch. Additionally, we found that the rs11614913 TC genotype can increase B-phenotype ALL risk (OR=1.37, 95% CI=1.07-1.76). Finally, combination of three bioinformatics approaches revealed that HOXC8 may be the target gene of hsa-miR-196a2. Taken together, our finding suggested that hsa-miR-196a2 rs11614913 T>C may increase the risk of childhood ALL. Large studies with the function of hsa-miR-196a2 are needed in the further study.

A functional polymorphism in MIR196A2 is associated with risk and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Genetic variations in microRNAs may alter their processing, expression, and binding to target mRNAs, consequently affecting many cancer-related biological processes. Recently, a polymorphism rs11614913 in MIR196A2 was shown to affect the processing of the precursor microRNA into its mature forms and the repertoire of target mRNAs with which it interacts. We examined whether this polymorphism was relevant to the risk of occurrence or progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Chinese population.

METHODS

We genotyped the MIR196A2 rs11614913 in a case-control study of 1084 patients with NPC and 1036 cancer-free controls using the TaqMan assay. The genetic associations with the risk of occurrence and progression of NPC were analyzed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

We observed a significantly increased occurrence of NPC associated with the rs11614913 T allele (odds ratio [OR]=1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.02-1.32, p=0.026) compared with the C allele. The T allele was also significantly associated with the advanced local tumor invasion (T₃+T₄ vs. T₁+T₂; OR=1.27, 95% CI=1.04-1.54, p=0.015) and advanced lymph node metastasis (N₂+N₃ vs. N₀+N₁; OR=1.23, 95% CI=1.02-1.49, p=0.031) of NPC compared with the C allele. Furthermore, stratified analysis indicated that the increased susceptibility to advanced lymph node metastasis of NPC related to the T allele was more pronounced in patients with a positive family history (N₂+N₃ vs. N₀+N₁; p=0.016, test for homogeneity).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that the functional polymorphism rs11614913 in the MIR196A2 gene may contribute to the risk of occurrence and progression of NPC in the Chinese population.