Background: Obesity is a complex, multifaceted disease resulting from a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle backgrounds, and is associated with increased risk of diseases, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. MiRNAs have been reported to be associated with chronic diseases such as obesity. The present study is the first investigation that examines the possible association of rs2910164 polymorphism in mir-146a gene with overweight and obesity in Iranian women.

Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted on 133 overweight, 75 obese and 173 healthy control women with normal weight. The rs2910164 polymorphism genotypes of mir-146a gene were determined by the Tetra-ARMS PCR method. Also, logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between genotypes and obesity risk.

Results: There was a significant association between GC (OR: 1.8, 95%CI: 1-3.3, p: 0.04) and CC (OR: 4.5, 95%CI: 1.6-12.6, p: 0.004) genotypes with susceptibility to obesity. In the dominant genetic model of the C allele (comparison between CC+GC vs. GG), CC+GC genotypes were associated with the risk of obesity (OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2–3.7, p= 0.01).

Conclusion: This study showed that mir-146a gene rs2910164 polymorphism is associated with obesity risk and the C allele may act as a dominant allele and increase the obesity risk in Iranian women.

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