PI3K/AKT pathway‐related microRNA variants in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract Background Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting genes in the PI3K/Akt pathway has been implicated in the pathogenesis of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). However, the impact of genetic variants in these miRNAs on ALL susceptibility has not been extensively explored in the Chinese population. Methods To address this gap, we conducted a case–control study to evaluate the association between genetic variants in five PI3K/AKT pathway‐related miRNAs (miR‐149, miR‐126, miR‐492, miR‐612, and miR‐423) and childhood ALL susceptibility in the Chinese population. Additionally, we investigated the effects of the rs2292832 mutation on ALL cell proliferation and apoptosis. Results Our analyses revealed that the miR‐149 rs2292832 mutant heterozygous CT genotype was more frequent in the control group than in the ALL cases, indicating a protective effect against ALL (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.63–0.97, p = .024). Stratification analyses further revealed that the miR‐149 rs2292832 CC genotype was associated with an increased risk of childhood ALL in subgroups of older children, females, those with parents who never smoked or drank alcohol, those living in painted houses, those with B‐ALL, and those with high‐risk ALL. Finally, we observed that the rs2292832 mutation inhibited ALL cell proliferation and induced apoptosis ( p = .001), providing a potential mechanism by which this genetic variant may influence ALL susceptibility. Conclusion Our study highlights the significant association between the miR‐149 rs2292832 genetic variant and childhood ALL susceptibility in the Chinese population. These findings expand our understanding of the complex genetic landscape underlying ALL and have implications for the development of personalized therapeutic strategies.