The aim of this study was to evaluate whether an insertion/deletion polymorphism (rs3783553) locating in the miR-122 target gene IL1A 3' untranslated region was related to the risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
Eleven miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between nodular goiter and PTC and between highly invasive and low invasive PTC. miR-199b-5p and miR-30a-3p were significantly differentially expressed among the three groups. miR-30a-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-136-5p, miR-146b-5p and miR-199b-5p were selected for further study by qRT-PCR and miR-146b-5p, miR-199b-5p and miR-30a-3p were different between the PTC and nodular goiter groups. miR-199b-5p was over-expressed in PTC patients with extrathyroidal invasion and cervical lymph node metastasis.