Lack of association between hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 polymorphism and cancer risk: a meta-analysis of 12 studies.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) participate in various cellular processes such as cell growth, differentiation, cell death and play an important role in a variety of diseases, especially in cancer. Recently, a number of studies have investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 and susceptibility to cancer; however, the results remain inconclusive.

Methodology/principal Findings: We carried out a meta-analysis of 12 studies including 5937 cases and 6081 controls from PubMed to assess the association between the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 and cancer risk by pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). However, our results showed that genotype distribution of the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 was not associated with cancer risk in all genetic models. Subgroup analysis by cancer type, ethnicity or study design showed no significant association either.

Conclusion: Results of this meta-analysis suggest that the hsa-miR-149 rs2292832 polymorphism is not associated with cancer risk in spite of the potentially protective role of C allele in hepatocellular carcinoma and male gastric cancer.