Common genetic polymorphisms in pre-microRNAs were associated with increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy

Background: Common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pre-microRNAs may change their property through altering microRNAs (miRNAs) expression and/or maturation, resulting diverse functional consequences. We conducted a pilot study to test whether SNPs in pre-microRNAs were associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Methods: Genotypes of 3 SNPs in pre-miRNAs (has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T, hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 A/G, hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C/G) in 221 DCM patients and 321 control subjects were determined with the use of PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay.

Results: Significantly increased DCM risks were found to be associated with variant allele of has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T (T allele) and hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 A/G (G allele) (P<0.0001, OR=1.730, 95% CI=1.345-2.227, and P<0.0001, OR=1.794, 95% CI=1.350-2.385, respectively). We found that increased DCM risk was statistically significantly associated with these 2 SNPs in a dominant model (P=0.0001 and P<0.0001 for rs11614913 and rs3746444, respectively). No association between DCM risk and hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C/G was observed (P=0.451, OR=1.102, 95% CI=0.856-1.418).

Conclusions: Both the has-mir-196a2 rs11614913 C/T and hsa-mir-499 rs3746444 A/G, but not hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C/G, are associated with a significantly increased risk of DCM, indicating that common genetic polymorphisms in pre-microRNAs are associated with DCM.