COPD Susceptibility Linked to LINC01414/LINC00824 Genetic Polymorphisms

Researchers in China found that genetic polymorphisms in RNA genes LINC01414 and LINC00824 (rs699467 and rs7815944, respectively) were associated with a decreased prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), whereas LINC01414 rs298207 was associated with an increased risk of COPD, according to a study published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine.

Recent research has suggested that COPD may be associated with abnormal expression or function of long noncoding RNAs. Abnormal expression of LINC00824 was previously found to be associated with smoking.

In this study, researchers assessed the association of genetic polymorphisms in LINC01414/LINC00824 and interactions with COPD susceptibility among 315 patients with COPD and 314 patients without COPD (control group) among the Chinese Han population. Within the entire population, results indicated that LINC01414 rs699467 (P=.015) and LINC00824 rs7815944 (P=.046) might be protective factors for COPD occurrence, while LINC01414 rs298207 (P=.008) was related to an increased risk of developing COPD.

Subgroup analysis revealed the following:  in participants older than 70 years, rs7815944 was associated with a reduced risk of COPD (P=.005); in participants age 70 and younger, rs6994670 (P=.007) was related to reduced COPD risk, whereas rs298207 (P=.009) was related to higher susceptibility to COPD; among men, rs298207 (P=.043) and rs7815944 (P=.028) variants were associated with COPD risk; and in former smokers, rs7815944 (P=.031) was related to reduced susceptibility to COPD. In addition, associations were found between rs298207 and patients with COPD and dyspnea (P=.016) and between rs7815944 and patients with COPD and wheezing (P=.008).

The fact that the study examined only 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms in LINC01414 and LINC00824 was a limitation of the study, said the researchers, adding that the functional effects of LINC01414/LINC00824 variants in COPD pathogenesis also were not explored.

Reference

Zhou X, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, et al. LINC01414/LINC00824 genetic polymorphisms in association with the susceptibility of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21:213. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12890-021-01579-3