MIR196A2 rs11614913 contributes to susceptibility to colorectal cancer in Iranian population: A multi-center case-control study and meta-analysis

Polymorphic Single-Nucleotide Variants in miRNA Genes and the Susceptibility to Colorectal Cancer: Combined Evaluation by Pairwise and Network Meta-Analysis, Thakkinstian's Algorithm and FPRP Criterium

BACKGROUND

Considerable epidemiological studies have examined the correlation between polymorphic single-nucleotide variants (SNPs) in miRNA genes and colorectal carcinoma (CRC) risk, yielding inconsistent results. Herein, we sought to systematically investigate the association between miRNA-SNPs and CRC susceptibility by combined evaluation using pairwise and network meta-analysis, the FPRP analysis (false positive report probability), and the Thakkinstian's algorithm.

METHODS

The MEDLINE, EMBASE, WOS, and Cochrane Library databases were searched through May 2024 to find relevant association literatures. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed by the pairwise meta-analysis. Network meta-analysis and the Thakkinstian's method were applied for determining the potentially optimal genetic models; additionally, the FPRP was used to identify noteworthy associations.

RESULTS

Totally, 39 case-control trials involving 18,028 CRC cases, and 21,816 normal participants were included in the study. Eleven SNPs within nine genes were examined for their predisposition to CRC. miR-27a (rs895819) was found to significantly increase CRC risk among overall population (OR 1.58, 95% CI: 1.32-1.89) and Asians (OR 1.62, 95% CI: 1.31-2.01), with the recessive models identified as the optimal models. Furthermore, miR-196a2 (rs11614913), miR-143/145 (rs41291957), and miR-34b/c (rs4938723) were significantly related to reduced CRC risk among Asian descendants under the optimal dominant (OR 0.75, 95% CI: 0.65-0.86), recessive (OR 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60-0.85), and recessive models (OR 0.69, 95% CI: 0.56-0.85), respectively. The results were also proposed by the network meta-analysis or the Thakkinstian's method and confirmed by the FPRP criterion.

CONCLUSION

The miR-27a (rs895819) is correlated with elevated CRC risk among overall population and Asians, and the recessive model is found to be optimal for predicting CRC risk. Additionally, the miR-196a2 (rs11614913), miR-143/145 (rs41291957), and miR-34b/c (rs4938723), with the dominant, recessive, and recessive models identified as the optimal, might confer protective effects against CRC among Asians.

Mechanical and functional characterisation of a 3D porous biomimetic extracellular matrix to study insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cell lines

Background

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a three-dimensional (3D) structure found around cells in the tissues of many organisms. It is composed mainly of fibrous proteins, such as collagen and elastin, and adhesive glycoproteins, such as fibronectin and laminin-as well as proteoglycans, such as hyaluronic acid. The ECM performs several essential functions, including structural support of tissues, regulation of cell communication, adhesion, migration, and differentiation by providing biochemical and biomechanical cues to the cells. Pancreatic β-cells have been previously shown to be responsive to the surrounding mechanical stress, impacting their insulin-secreting function.

Purpose

We aimed to derive a physiologically relevant in vitro model of pancreatic tissue by using an innovative synthesised porous ECM that mimics the native tissue microenvironment and mechanical properties.

Methods

Here we performed mechanical, physico-chemical and functional characterisation of a synthetic hydrogel ECM, composed of hyaluronic acid cross-linked with collagen types I and VI and modified with fibronectin. The hydrogel was used as a 3D cell culture scaffold for the MIN6 insulinoma cell line. Cell proliferation, viability, gene expression, and insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulus were assessed and contrasted with classic monolayer culture.

Results

The biomaterial exhibited a shear modulus of 815.37 kPa and a distinctive viscoelastic response. MIN6 cells showed a higher proliferation and viability rates and maintained insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulus and β-cell identity gene expression when cultured in the 3D hydrogel compared to monolayer culture.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated the potential of this biomimetic hydrogel scaffold as an innovative matrix enabling better in vitro models to study disease physiopathology.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44164-024-00078-z.

Noncoding RNA mutations in cancer

Cancer is driven by both germline and somatic genetic changes. Efforts have been devoted to characterizing essential genetic variations in cancer initiation and development. Most attention has been given to mutations in protein-coding genes and associated regulatory elements such as promoters and enhancers. The development of sequencing technologies and in silico and experimental methods has allowed further exploration of cancer predisposition variants and important somatic mutations in noncoding RNAs, mainly for long noncoding RNAs and microRNAs. Association studies including GWAS have revealed hereditary variations including SNPs and indels in lncRNA or miRNA genes and regulatory regions. These mutations altered RNA secondary structures, expression levels, and target recognition and then conferred cancer predisposition to carriers. Whole-exome/genome sequencing comparing cancer and normal tissues has revealed important somatic mutations in noncoding RNA genes. Mutation hotspots and somatic copy number alterations have been identified in various tumor-associated noncoding RNAs. Increasing focus and effort have been devoted to studying the noncoding region of the genome. The complex genetic network of cancer initiation is being unveiled. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease.

Impact of Mir196a-2 Genotypes on Colorectal Cancer Risk in Taiwan

We aimed to investigate the association between genotypes for mir146a and mir196a-2 and the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). We used polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) to determine the mir146a rs2910164 and mir196a-2 rs11614913 genotypes in 362 CRC patients and 362 controls. We also assessed the interactions between these genotypes and age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and BMI status on CRC risk. Additionally, the serum expression level of mir196a-2 was quantified using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Our findings demonstrated that among the controls, the proportions of TT, CT, and CC genotypes of mir196a-2 rs11614913 were 32.3%, 48.1%, and 19.6%, respectively. As for the cases, the proportions were 24.6%, 45.0%, and 30.4%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the CC genotype carriers had a 2.04-fold increased risk (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36-3.06, p = 0.0008). Furthermore, carriers of the CT + CC genotypes also exhibited a significant association with CRC risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.06-2.03, p = 0.0261). Moreover, carriers of the CC genotype had significantly higher serum levels of mir196a-2 compared to those with the TT genotype (p < 0.0001), indicating a genotype-phenotype correlation. No association was found regarding mir146a rs2910164. In conclusion, mir196a-2 rs2910164 genotypes, along with their associated expression, can serve as predictive markers for CRC risk.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in microRNA Genes and Colorectal Cancer Risk and Prognosis

There is growing interest in single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes of microRNAs (miRNAs), which could be associated with susceptibility to colorectal cancer (CRC) and therefore for prognosis of the disease and/or treatment response. Moreover, these miRNAs-SNPs could serve as new, low-invasive biomarkers for early detection of CRC. In the present article, we performed a thorough review of different SNPs, which were investigated for a correlation with the CRC risk, prognosis, and treatment response. We also analyzed the results from different meta-analyses and the possible reasons for reported contradictory findings, especially when different research groups investigated the same SNP in a gene for a particular miRNA. This illustrates the need for more case-control studies involving participants with different ethnic backgrounds. According to our review, three miRNAs-SNPs-miR-146a rs2910164, miR-27a rs895819 and miR-608 rs4919510-appear as promising prognostic, diagnostic and predictive biomarkers for CRC, respectively.

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.

Single nucleotide alterations in MicroRNAs and human cancer-A not fully explored field

MicroRNAs are ~20 nt long small noncoding RNAs that are processed from stem-looped precursors and function mainly as posttranscriptional regulators of protein coding genes through binding to 3'-untranslated regions of messenger RNAs to inhibit the translation or cause RNA degradation. It is predicted microRNAs could regulate up to half of all human genes and are proved to play important roles in human diseases including cancer. They bind to target mRNAs based on complementary binding which is dominated by the so-called "seed" region which are the 5' 2-8 bases of the microRNA. Due to the small size in nature, even a single nucleotide variation in the precursor region especially those located in the seed regions could show big influence. Here, I summarized and reviewed the current knowledge of these single nucleotide alterations in microRNAs in human cancer including (i) common SNPs in the precursor region, (ii) isomiRs, (iii) somatic mutations of microRNAs. Briefly, this is an underexploited field and clearly, warrants further studies to reveal their biological and clinical significances. I believe they will be key to advancing personalized medicine.