miR-146b measurement in FNA to distinguish papillary thyroid cancer from benign thyroid masses

Diagnostic Significance of FNAB miRNA Expression in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of specific miRNAs in the preoperative assessment of thyroid nodules. One hundred and sixty thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) samples with suspected thyroid carcinoma were collected. To detect the levels of miRNA expression in FNAB, next generation small RNA sequencing was performed in 60 samples. Based on the results obtained, three miRNAs (miR125A, miR200B, miR4324) were selected for further analysis. Based on the most frequently reported miRNAs in the literature associated with thyroid papillary carcinoma (PTC), two more miRNA (miR146B, miR221) were selected for further validation, using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 36 benign and 64 PTC samples. Expression of miR125A, miR146B, miR221, and miR4324 was significantly higher in patients with PTC compared with benign thyroid nodules (p ˂ 0.05). miR125A and miR4324 were also significantly more highly expressed in patients with extrathyroidal tumor extension compared to those without extrathyroidal PTC extension (p < 0.001). We also found a significantly higher expression of miR221 (p = 0.043) in patients with multifocal carcinomas compared to patients with single foci carcinomas. This prospective study showed that the expression analysis of four miRNAs (miR125A, miR146B, miR221, and miR4324) improve accuracy of FNAB, which could allow a better pre-operative diagnostic and prognostic assessment of thyroid malignancies.

Overexpression of miR-127 Predicts Poor Prognosis and Contributes to the Progression of Papillary Thyroid Cancer by Targeting REPIN1

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a major kind of thyroid cancer with increasing recurrence and metastasis. MiR-127 has been demonstrated to play roles in many cancers with dysregulation. However, the function of miR-127 is still unknown. This study aimed to explore a novel biomarker for the progression and prognosis of PTC. A set of 118 patients with PTC were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-127 in PTC tissues and cells. The association between miR-127 expression and the clinicopathological features of patients were evaluated by the χ² test, and the prognostic value of miR-127 was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. The effect of miR-127 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC was analyzed by CCK-8 and transwell assay. miR-127 was found to be upregulated in PTC tissues and cells correlated with the TNM stage and poor prognosis of PTC patients. MiR-127 and the TNM stage were considered as two independent prognostic indicators for PTC. Moreover, overexpression of miR-127 significantly enhanced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of PTC by targeting REPIN1. miR-127 may be involved in the progression of PTC, which provides a new therapeutic strategy for PTC.

Non-Coding RNAs: Uncharted Mediators of Thyroid Cancer Pathogenesis

Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent malignancy of the endocrine system and the ninth most common cancer globally. Despite the advances in the management of thyroid cancer, there are critical issues with the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer that result in the poor overall survival of undifferentiated and metastatic thyroid cancer patients. Recent studies have revealed the role of different non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs) that are dysregulated during thyroid cancer development or the acquisition of resistance to therapeutics, and may play key roles in treatment failure and poor prognosis of the thyroid cancer patients. Here, we systematically review the emerging roles and molecular mechanisms of ncRNAs that regulate thyroid tumorigenesis and drug response. We then propose the potential clinical implications of ncRNAs as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for thyroid cancer.

Non-coding RNAs - A primer for the laboratory scientist

Advances in molecular genetics have identified several species of RNA that fail to translate - hence the non-coding RNAs. The two major groups within this class of nucleic acids are microRNAs (miRNA) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA). There is growing body of evidence supporting the view that these molecules have regulatory effect on both DNA and RNA. The objective of this brief review is to explain the molecular genetic of these molecules, to summarize their potential as mediators of disease, and to highlight their value as diagnostic markers and as tools in disease management.

British Journal of Biomedical Science in 2019. What have we learned?

In 2019 the British Journal of Biomedical Science published 40 articles in the various disciplines that comprise biomedical science. These were one review, 22 original articles and 17 'In Brief' short reports. Of those citing original data, the majority were in cellular pathology (14 papers), clinical chemistry (9 papers), and microbiology (6 papers: 4 in bacteriology and 2 in virology). There were 3 papers in haematology and 2 in andrology, whilst 5 papers crossed traditional discipline boundaries (such as the molecular genetics of IL6, liver function tests, and hepatocellular carcinoma). Over two-thirds of papers used techniques in molecular genetics. The present report will summarise key aspects of these publications that are of greatest relevance to laboratory scientists.

British Journal of Biomedical Science in 2018: what have we learned?

In 2018 the British Journal of Biomedical Science published one guideline (in reproductive science) and 40 research articles in the various disciplines the comprise biomedical science. The latter were 24 original articles and 16 'In Brief' short reports. Of these, 23 are of note to only one of the sub-disciplines (seven each to biochemists and microbiologists, six to cell pathologists, and one each to cytologists, immunologists and reproductive scientists). Reflecting the increasing complexity of laboratory science, thirteen papers crossed one boundary (three papers each relevant to biochemists and immunologists, and to haematologists and biochemists), whilst four papers were relevant to three or more disciplines. Indeed, biochemical techniques were used in 18 papers, microbiological techniques in 9, whilst histopathology was relevant to 11 papers. Notably, 20 papers used techniques in chromosome analysis and molecular genetics. The present report will summarise key aspects of these publications that are of greatest relevance to laboratory scientists.