Prioritization of rs187728237 and rs80320514 as miRNA-related Variants of Human AEG-1 Gene

Background and Objectives: 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) represent genetic variations that may potentially affect binding of miRNA to coding genes, potentially leading to complex disorders. We aimed to perform in silico analysis of the potential phenotypic effect of 3'UTR SNPs on human astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1), a newly identified candidate cancer gene. Methods: We gathered a list of all 3'UTR SNPs located in the human AEG-1 gene from the SNP database. Analysis of the potential effects was done using MirSNP and MicroSNiper. Results: Analysis by the MirSNP estimated that rs187728237 might increase the affinity of two miRNAs and decrease the affinity of 10 other miRNAs to the AEG-1 transcript. Moreover, MicroSNiPer showed that rs80320514 might affect 24 putative miRNA binding sites in the 3'UTR of AEG-1. Conclusion: Based on our findings, it can be concluded that the 3'UTR SNPs located in the human AEG-1 gene may be within the miRNA targets of the transcript, therefore affecting the stability of putative miRNA-target interactions.