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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

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miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues
Published on: September 8, 2015
Functional polymorphisms in two pre-microRNAs and cancer risk: a meta-analysis
Summary
This meta-analysis found the miR-196a2 rs11614913 polymorphism increases overall cancer risk. The miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism showed increased risk for non-breast cancers, suggesting tissue-specific effects.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in gene regulation and are implicated in cancer development.
- Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pre-miRNA genes, such as miR-146a (rs2910164) and miR-196a2 (rs11614913), are investigated for their potential impact on cancer susceptibility.
- Previous studies on the association between these specific miRNA SNPs and cancer risk have yielded conflicting results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis to clarify the association between two functional pre-miRNA polymorphisms (miR-146a rs2910164 and miR-196a2 rs11614913) and overall cancer risk.
- To evaluate the potential tissue-specific effects of these polymorphisms on cancer susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- A meta-analysis was performed on 12 published case-control studies.
- Data from 5,916 cancer patients and 6,869 controls were analyzed for miR-146a rs2910164.
- Data from 6,574 cancer cases and 7,601 controls were analyzed for miR-196a2 rs11614913.
Main Results:
- The allele C of miR-196a2 rs11614913 was significantly associated with an increased risk of overall cancers across multiple genetic models (e.g., CC vs. TT: OR=1.18, 95%CI: 1.02-1.37).
- No significant association was found between miR-146a rs2910164 and overall cancer risk in general.
- However, miR-146a rs2910164 showed a significantly increased risk for cancers other than breast cancer (GG/GC vs. CC: OR=1.30, 95%CI: 1.03-1.64).
Conclusions:
- The miR-196a2 rs11614913 polymorphism is a risk factor for overall cancer development.
- The miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism may have a tissue-specific effect, increasing susceptibility to certain cancers beyond breast cancer.
- Further large-scale, well-designed studies are warranted to validate these findings and elucidate the precise mechanisms involved.
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