Genetic Variations in Key MicroRNA Processing Genes and Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Chinese Population

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047544
• Publication Date: 2012-10-11T17:05:18Z
• Authors: Hongxia Ma; Hua Yuan; Zhiyao Yuan; Chenjie Yu; Ruixia Wang; Yue Jiang; Zhibin Hu; Hongbing Shen; Ning Chen
• Keywords: Dicer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play a key role in oncogenesis. Genetic variations miRNA processing genes and binding sites may affect the biogenesis of miRNA-mRNA interactions, hence promoting tumorigenesis. In present study, we hypothesized that potentially functional polymorphisms contribute head neck cancer (HNC) susceptibility. To test this hypothesis, genotyped three SNPs at (rs1057035 3′UTR DICER, rs3803012 RAN rs10773771 HIWI) with case-control study including 397 HNC cases 900 controls matched by age sex Chinese. Although none was significantly associated overall risk HNC, rs1057035 DICER decreased oral (TC/CC vs. TT: adjusted OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.92). Furthermore, luciferase activity assay showed variant C allele led lower expression levels as compared T allele, which be due relatively high inhibition hsa-miR-574-3p on mRNA. These findings indicated located affecting miRNAs DICER. Large-scale well-designed studies are warranted validate our findings.