Background/aim: Since microRNAs (miRNAs) act as translational regulators of multiple genes, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in them can have potentially wide-ranging effects. Using an association approach, this research examined the effects of the rs6505162 SNP, an A > C polymorphism located in the pre-miRNA region of miR-423, on breast cancer development.
Materials and methods: Caucasian Australian women with breast cancer and controls matched for age and ethnicity were genotyped for rs6505162 and their genotypic and allelic frequencies analysed for significant differences.
Results: Analysis indicated that there were significant differences between the case and control populations (χ2 = 6.70, p = 0.035), with the CC genotype conferring reduced risk of breast cancer development (odds ratio = 0.50 95% confidence interval = 0.27-0.92, p = 0.03).
Conclusion: Further functional research is required to determine the mechanism of action of this SNP on miRNA function.