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.