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Significant association between functional microRNA polymorphisms and head and neck cancer susceptibility: a

Yu-Ming Niu1, Xin-Ya Du2, Ming-Yi Lu3

  • 11] Department of Stomatology and Center for Evidence-Based Medicine and Clinical Research, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, 32 South Renmin Road, Shiyan 442000, China [2] Department of Neurosurgery and Evidence-Based Medicine Center, Taihe Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, 32 South Renmin Road, Shiyan 442000, China.

Scientific Reports
|August 18, 2015
PubMed

Insights

This meta-analysis reveals specific microRNA polymorphisms are linked to head and neck cancer (HNC) risk. Findings highlight ethnicity-specific associations for microRNA-146a and microRNA-196a2, contributing to understanding HNC development.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Epidemiology

Background:

  • MicroRNA (miRNA) polymorphisms have been investigated for their association with head and neck cancer (HNC) risk.
  • Previous molecular epidemiological studies yielded inconsistent results regarding these associations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a comprehensive meta-analysis clarifying the relationship between specific miRNA polymorphisms and HNC risk.
  • To evaluate the influence of ethnicity on these potential associations.

Main Methods:

  • A systematic search of four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang) was performed.
  • Meta-analysis included 11 studies with 16,100 subjects, calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  • Polymorphisms analyzed included miR-146a rs2910164 G>C, miR-196a2 rs11614913 C>T, miR-149 rs2292832 C>T, and miR-499 rs3746444 A>G.

Main Results:

  • A significantly increased HNC risk was associated with the miR-146a rs2910164 G>C polymorphism in Caucasian populations.
  • The miR-196a2 rs11614913 C>T polymorphism showed a significantly increased HNC risk in Asian populations.
  • No significant associations were found for miR-149 rs2292832 C>T and miR-499 rs3746444 A>G polymorphisms with HNC risk.

Conclusions:

  • MicroRNA polymorphisms are associated with the development of head and neck cancer.
  • Ethnicity plays a crucial role in the association between specific miRNA polymorphisms and HNC risk, particularly for miR-146a and miR-196a2.

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