A Genetic Polymorphism in pre-miR-27a Confers Clinical Outcome of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in a Chinese Population

BackgroundRecent evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) can function as tumor suppressors and oncogenes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at miRNA genes can influence the maturation of miRNAs or miRNA-mediated transcriptional regulation. Our objective was to investigate the association of SNPs in deregulated miRNAs with clinical outcome in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a Chinese population.MethodsDeregulated miRNAs in NSCLC and their SNPs were identified through public databases. A single SNP, rs895819 in pre-miR-27a, was found suitable for selection. TaqMan assays were performed for genotyping and to assess the effect on the overall survival (OS) and chemotherapy response in 576 NSCLC patients.ResultsLog-rank test and Cox regression analysis indicated that the G allele of rs895819 was associated with shorter survival and increased risk of death in NSCLC [dominant model: 22.0 vs. 46.0 months, PConclusionOur results suggest that the pre-miR-27a rs895819 polymorphism may influence NSCLC patients’ clinical outcome. Further large sample studies should be used to validate our findings.