Association of miR-149 T>C and miR-196a2 C>T Polymorphisms with Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility: A Case-Control...

Area of Science:

• Genetics
• Oncology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a significant global health concern.
• Small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), are implicated in cancer development.
• Genetic variations in miRNA genes may influence CRC susceptibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between miR-149 T>C (rs2292832) and miR-196a2 C>T (rs11614913) polymorphisms and CRC risk in the Azerbaijani population.
• To explore potential gender-specific effects of these miRNA polymorphisms on CRC risk.

Main Methods:

• Case-control study involving 120 CRC patients and 125 healthy controls from the Azerbaijani population.
• DNA extraction from peripheral blood samples using the salting out method.
• Genotyping of miR-149 and miR-196a2 polymorphisms using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant association was found between miR-149 or miR-196a2 polymorphisms and overall CRC risk when gender was not considered.
• In female patients, the miR-149 T>C polymorphism (TC genotype) was associated with a reduced risk of CRC (OR = 0.43; p = 0.048).
• Conversely, in women, the miR-196a2 C>T polymorphism (CT genotype) was linked to an increased risk of CRC (OR = 2.77; p = 0.025).

Conclusions:

• The miR-149 T>C polymorphism may confer a protective effect against CRC in women within the Azerbaijani population.
• The miR-196a2 C>T polymorphism appears to be associated with an elevated risk of CRC specifically in women of Azerbaijani descent.
• These findings underscore the importance of considering gender dimorphism in the genetic etiology of colorectal cancer.