miR-608 rs4919510 C>G polymorphism decreased the risk of breast cancer in an Iranian subpopulation

AIM

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that function as oncogene or tumor suppressors. The single nucleotide polymorphisms in miRNAs potentially can alter miRNA-binding sites on target genes as well as affecting miRNAs expression. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of miR-608 rs4919510 C>G variant on breast cancer (BC) risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This case-control study conducted on 160 women with BC and 192 age-matched healthy women. Genotyping of miR-608 rs4919510 was done using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.

RESULTS

Our findings showed that GC genotype significantly decreased the risk of BC (odds ratio (OR) = 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28-0.88, p = 0.018) compared to CC genotype. Furthermore the G allele decreased the risk of BC (OR = 0.53, 95%CI 0.30-0.92, p = 0.024). No significant association was found between miR-609 genotypes and clinicopathological characteristics of BC patients (p >0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that miR-608 polymorphism might be associated with decreased risk of BC in an Iranian subpopulation. Further large-scale studies with different ethnicities are needed to verify our findings.

Association study of hsa-mir-603 rs11014002 polymorphism and risk of breast cancer in a sample of Iranian population

Accumulated evidence have proposed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNAs) are connected to breast cancer (BC) risk. We have done a case-control study with 258 BC patients and 209 control women to examine the potential association of Hsa-mir-603 rs11014002 C>T polymorphisms with BC susceptibility. The polymorphisms were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Our findings showed that the rs11014002 C>T variant was not associated with an increased risk of BC in codominant (OR=0.67, 95%CI=0.42-1.08, P=0.121, CT vs CC; and OR=0.18, 95%CI=0.02-1.67, P=0.170, TT vs CC), dominant (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.41-1.01, P=0.062, CT+TT vs CC), and recessive (OR=0.20, 95%CI=0.02-1.81, P=0.178, TT vs CC+CT) inheritance models tested. While, the T allele significantly decreased the risk of BC (OR= 0.63; 95% CI =0.41-0.95; P=0.032) compared to C allele. In conclusion, the findings indicated that Mir603 rs11014002 T allele might contribute to decrease the risk of BC in a sample of Iranian population. Further studies with larger sample sizes and different ethnicities are warranted to confirm our findings.

Human Toll like receptor 4 gene expression of PBMCs in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients

Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) is one of the most pivotal pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) in innate immune systems. In this study, we evaluate the expression of the TLR4 in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) in comparison to healthy controls. Expression of TLR4 in 32 human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with DM2 and 20 control samples was assessed using Real—Time PCR technique. For each patient, body mass index (BMI) and blood glucose levels were measured. The results of Real—Time PCR showed a 5—folds increase in expression of TLR4 on the PBMCs of DM2 patients in comparison to controls. No correlation was observed between the TLR4 expression and sex or BMI. Our results confirmed that DM2 can increase TLR4 expression independent from sex, blood glucose concentrations and BMI.

Causes of new cases of major thalassemia in sistan and balouchistan province in South-East of iran

BACKGROUND

Thalassemia is the most common monogenic disease in South-East of Iran. Despite the 70% reduction in Iranian thalassemia cases after thalassemia control comprehensive program, 601 affected babies were born in Sistan and Balouchistan Province, Iran from 2002 to 2010, so this study aims at investigating the causes of new thalassemia cases.

METHODS

Data from this retrospective cross-sectional study was collected through interviews and information in the patients' hospital records.

RESULTS

Data revealed that 52.4% of fathers and 78.4% of mothers of thalassemic children had elementary education or less. In addition, 78.6% of the couples did not undergo premarital screening for thalassemia and 71.2% of the couples were not notified of their own minor thalassemia until a child was born with major thalassemia. Of the diagnosed minor couples, about 25% did PND and the others did not carry out because mothers were unaware of proper gestational age and of the importance of this issue, financial problems, and the husbands' disagreement to take the tests. Moreover, 16 mothers, in spite of being diagnosed of having a major fetus, refused to terminate the pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

The most preventable causes for affected births include couples' unawareness of being minor and unawares of the PND importance and process.