microRNAs (miRNAs) are an abundant class of small noncoding RNA molecules thought to be involved in biological functions, including embryonic development, chromosome architecture, cell proliferation and apoptosis. We hypothesized that common variants in the miRNAs are associated with risk of coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). In a case-control study of 496 CWP patients and 513 control subjects frequency matched by exposure years and work types, we genotyped four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs2910164, rs2292832, rs11614913 and rs3746444) in pre-miRNAs (miR-146a, miR-149, miR196a2 and miR-499) and assessed the associations with risk of CWP. A significantly increased risk of CWP was found for the miR-149 rs2292832 TT genotype (odds ratio (OR), 1.31; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.69), compared with the CT/CC genotypes, and this increased risk was evident among subgroups of those aged X68 years (OR¼1.52, 95% CI¼1.03-2.25), dust exposure X26 years (OR¼1.42, 95% CI¼1.04-1.93) and ever smokers (OR¼1.48, 95% CI¼1.00-2.20). Furthermore, a significant association was observed between the genotypes and patients with stages II and III (OR¼1.50, 95% CI¼1.05-2.14 for stage II, and OR¼3.33, 95% CI¼1.67-6.65 for stage III). These results suggest that miR-149 rs2292832 polymorphism is involved in susceptibility to developing CWP.

Coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP) is a chronic interstitial lung disease with a complex etiology that can occur after cumulative dust exposure. A case-control study was conducted to test the hypothesis that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) within CASPASE-8 (CASP8) promoter involved in resolution of inflammatory processes modulate the risk of CWP development. The study population consisted of 619 underground coal miners in the 5 coal mines of Xuzhou Mining Business Group Co. Ltd., China, of whom 315 were diagnosed with CWP. The association study between CASP8 -652 6N ins/del polymorphism with CWP by multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association of the genotype del/del with CWP compared with to ins/ins genotypes, and showed that the risk was significantly higher for stage I CWP. Further analysis showed that in subjects with the del/del genotype there was significantly increased risk for CWP occurrence among younger individuals (<66 yr) or those with longer duration dust exposure (>or=26 yr). These findings suggested that CASP8-652 6N ins/del polymorphism may contribute to the genetic susceptibility for CWP development.

ObjectiveThe aim of this case-control study was to explore whether five tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) within the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) gene were involved in manifestation of inflammatory and fibrotic processes associated with coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP).MethodsThe study included 508 CWP patients and 526 controls who were underground coal miners from Xuzhou Mining Business Group. Five tSNPs were selected from the HapMap and detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method.ResultsThe single SNP analysis showed that the genotype frequencies of SNP2 (rs1800470, +869T/C, extron 1) and SNP5 (rs11466345, intron 5) in CWP cases were significantly different from those in controls. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that SNP2 (rs1800470) CC genotype was associated with decreased risk of CWP (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.32-0.78), which was evident among subgroups of those never smoke (OR = 0.40, 95%CI = 0.24-0.66), cases with stage II (OR = 0.41, 95%CI = 0.22-0.76) and exposure period (< 28 y: OR = 0.54, 95%CI = 0.31-0.95; ≥28 y: OR = 0.52, 95%CI = 0.32-0.96). However, the SNP5 (rs11466345) GG genotype was associated with an increased risk of CWP (OR = 2.5, 95%CI = 1.36-4.57), and further stratification analysis showed that the risk of CWP was increased in both smoking and nonsmoking groups, shorter and longer exposure groups, while the risk of CWP was only increased in patients with stage I and II.ConclusionThis study suggests that TGF-β1 polymorphisms may contribute to susceptibility of CWP.