The miR-145 rs353291 C allele increases susceptibility to atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is one of the leading causes of death, with variable frequencies in different populations. To this end, we examined whether AS is associated with the miR-145 rs353291 polymorphism and specific rs353291 alleles. The distribution of the rs353291 C allele and CC genotypes was significantly higher in AS patients than in controls. Compared to individuals with the rs353291 TT genotype, carriers of the rs353291 C allele showed a significant increase in the plasma levels of sCD40L, IL-6 and MCP-1 and a decrease in miR-145 expression. After ox-LDL administration, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of rs353291 C allele carriers showed significantly increased CD40 and MCP-1 expression compared with those of individuals with the rs353291 TT genotype. These data suggest that the rs353291 C allele may increase susceptibility to atherosclerosis.