Genetic polymorphisms of pri-let-7f, gene–environment and gene–gene interactions, and associations with ischemic stroke risk in Liaoning Province

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of stroke has been rising annually and investigations into traditional risk factors have led to increased attention on genetic factors. In this study, we focused on the pri-let-7f gene, and investigated the association between pri-let-7f gene polymorphisms and ischemic stroke (IS). METHODS: This case–control study included 1803 patients and 1456 healthy controls of Han ethnicity living in Liaoning Province. We carried out genotyping analysis of two loci, pri-let-7f-1 rs10739971 and pri-let-7f-2 rs17276588, and performed statistical analysis controlling for confounding factors by logistic regression. RESULTS: The A alleles and AA genotypes of both loci were significantly associated with an increased risk of IS. Variant genotypes of rs17276588 may also increase the risk of IS in females with alcohol intake. Gene–gene interaction analysis showed combined effects of mutations in both these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated an association between pri-let-7f SNPs and IS, providing potential latent biomarkers for the risk of IS. However, more detailed studies are needed to clarify these results.