OBJECTIVETo explore association of miR-149 and miR-605 polymorphisms with other risk factors of lung cancer susceptibility among Chinese population.

METHODSTwo hundred and forty-four patients with lung cancer and 243 cancer-free controls matched by age and sex were enrolled from 2002 to 2008. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from all subjects. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of miR-149 and miR-605 were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Multiple-variable logistic regression model was used to assess the association of SNPs and cancer related risk factors for lung cancer.

RESULTThere was not significant association of SNPs of miR-149 and miR-605 with lung cancer. A marginal significance was observed while the males with at least one G allele of miR-605 had higher risk of lung cancer (OR=1.5, 95% CI:1.0-2.3) than those with AA genotype. Increased frequency of smoking was associated with lung cancer risk. Compared with no-smoker, the subjects with <20 and >20 cigarettes/day had higher risk of lung cancer: OR (95%CI)=1.7(1.0-3.0) for <20 cigarettes, OR (95%CI)=4.2(2.3-7.6) for >20 cigarettes. There was no interaction between two genes and smoking on lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONmiR-149 polymorphisms may not affect lung cancer susceptibility. miR-605 gene mutant might be increase the risk of lung cancer among males. Cigarette smoking increased a risk of lung cancer, but there were not interactive effects between two gene and smoking on lung cancer.