Genetic variability in the microRNA binding sites of BMPR1B, TGFBR1, IQGAP1, KRAS, SETD8 and RYR3 and risk of breast cancer in Colombian women

Background: Genetic variants in microRNA (miR) binding sites affect the regulation of miR-dependent gene expression and have been linked to the risk of a variety of cancers including breast cancer (BC). Most BC risk variants had been identified in women of European and Asian ancestry, but genetic data for Hispanic women are scarce. Here, we investigate the association between six variants in miR binding sites and BC risk in Colombian women. Methods: We genotyped miR binding site variants in the BMPR1B, TGFBR1, IQGAP1, KRAS, SETD8 and RYR3 genes in 1022 BC cases and 1023 controls from the Colombian breast cancer case–control (Col-BCCC) study using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Multiple logistic regression and permutation techniques were applied to assess the association between genetic variants and BC risk. Results: We found no evidence of association between any of the six miR binding site variants and overall or estrogen receptor subtype-specific BC risk in Colombian women. Conclusion: Our findings may point to ethnic differences in the association between genetic variability in miR binding sites and breast cancer risk.