# Genetic association of miR-146a, miR-196a2, and miR-499 polymorphisms with hepatocellular carcinoma risk in an Eastern Chinese population

## TL;DR

This study finds that certain genetic variations in miR-196a2 and miR-499 are linked to increased or decreased risk of liver cancer in an Eastern Chinese population.

## Contribution

The study identifies novel associations between miR-196a2 and miR-499 polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in an Eastern Chinese population.

## Key findings

- miR-196a2 rs11614913 CT/TT genotypes increase HCC risk in Eastern Chinese individuals.
- miR-499 rs3746444 AG/GG genotypes are linked to reduced HCC risk.
- miR-146a rs2910164 shows no significant association with HCC risk.

## Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks as the sixth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to regulate oncogenic and tumor suppressor pathways, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNAs may influence cancer susceptibility.

We investigated the association between three miRNA SNPs—miR-146a rs2910164, miR-196a2 rs11614913, and miR-499 rs3746444—and the risk of HCC in an eastern Chinese population. A total of 353 HCC patients and 351 healthy controls were enrolled. Genotyping was performed using PCR-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR), and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Compared with the CC genotype, individuals carrying the CT and TT genotypes of miR-196a2 rs11614913 exhibited significantly increased risks of HCC (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.10-2.37; OR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.07-2.55). The dominant model of miR-196a2 rs11614913 also showed a significant association with HCC risk (P = 0.009). In contrast, carriers of the AG or GG genotype of miR-499 rs3746444 showed a reduced HCC risk (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.52–0.99, P = 0.048). No significant association was found for miR-146a rs2910164 and HCC risk.

Our findings suggest that miR-196a2 rs11614913 and miR-499 rs3746444 polymorphisms are significantly associated with HCC susceptibility in the eastern Chinese population and may serve as potential genetic biomarkers for early risk assessment.