Association of the microRNA-Single Nucleotide Polymorphism rs2910164 in miR146a with sporadic breast cancer susceptibility: A case control study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) is primarily considered a genetic disorder with a complex interplay of factors including age, gender, ethnicity, family history, personal history and lifestyle with associated hormonal and non-hormonal risk factors. The SNP rs2910164 in miR146a (a G to C polymorphism) was previously associated with increased risk of BC in cases with at least a single copy of the C allele in breast cancer, though results in other cancers and populations have shown significant variation.

METHODS: In this study, we examined this SNP in an Australian sporadic breast cancer population of 160 cases and matched controls, with a replicate population of 403 breast cancer cases using High Resolution Melting.

RESULTS: Our analysis indicated that the rs2910164 polymorphism is associated with breast cancer risk in both primary and replicate populations (p=0.03 and 0.0013, respectively). In contrast to the results of familial breast cancer studies, however, we found that the presence of the G allele of rs2910164 is associated with increased cancer risk, with an OR of 1.77 (95% CI 1.40-2.23).

CONCLUSIONS: The microRNA miR146a has a potential role in the development of breast cancer and the effects of its SNPs require further inquiry to determine the nature of their influence on breast tissue and cancer.