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Lawarde A, Sharif Rahmani E, Nath A, Lavogina D, Jaal J, Salumets A, Modhukur V. ExplORRNet: An interactive web tool to explore stage-wise miRNA expression profiles and their interactions with mRNA and lncRNA in human breast and gynecological cancers. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:125-140. [PMID: 38035042 PMCID: PMC10686811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2023.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression that have been implicated in gynecological and breast cancers. Understanding the cancer stage-wise expression patterns of miRNAs and their interactions with other RNA molecules in cancer is crucial to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment planning. Comprehensive web tools that integrate data on the transcriptome, circulating miRNAs, and their validated targets to derive beneficial conclusions in cancer research are lacking. Methods Using the Shiny R package, we developed a web tool called ExplORRNet that integrates transcriptomic profiles from The Cancer Genome Atlas and miRNA expression data derived from various sources, including tissues, cell lines, exosomes, serum, and plasma, available in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential expression analyses between normal and tumor tissue samples as well as different stages of cancer, accompanied by gene enrichment and survival analyses, can be performed using specialized R packages. Additionally, a miRNA-messenger RNA (mRNA)-long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) networks are constructed to identify regulatory modules. Results Our tool identifies cancer stage-wise differentially regulated miRNAs, mRNAs, and lncRNAs in gynecological and breast cancers. Survival analysis identifies miRNAs associated with patient survival, and functional enrichment analysis provides insights into dysregulated miRNA-related biological processes and pathways. The miRNA-mRNA-lncRNA networks highlight interconnected regulatory molecular modules driving cancer progression. Case studies demonstrate the utility of the ExplORRNet for studying gynecological and breast cancers. Conclusion ExplORRNet is an intuitive and user-friendly web tool that provides a deeper understanding of dysregulated miRNAs and their functional implications in gynecological and breast cancers. We hope our ExplORRNet tool has potential utility among the clinical and basic researchers and will be beneficial to the entire cancer genomics community to encourage and facilitate mining the rapidly growing public databases to progress the field of precision oncology. The ExplORRNet is available at https://mirna.cs.ut.ee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Lawarde
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Adhiraj Nath
- Bioengineering Research Laboratory, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, North Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Darja Lavogina
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jana Jaal
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Estonia
- Haematology and Oncology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andres Salumets
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institute and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vijayachitra Modhukur
- Competence Centre on Health Technologies, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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CmirC: an integrated database of clustered miRNAs co-localized with copy number variations in cancer. Funct Integr Genomics 2022; 22:1229-1241. [DOI: 10.1007/s10142-022-00909-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
AbstractGenomic rearrangements and copy number variations (CNVs) are the major regulators of clustered microRNAs (miRNAs) expression. Several clustered miRNAs are harbored in and around chromosome fragile sites (CFSs) and cancer-associated genomic hotspots. Aberrant expression of such clusters can lead to oncogenic or tumor suppressor activities. Here, we developed CmirC (Clustered miRNAs co-localized with CNVs), a comprehensive database of clustered miRNAs co-localized with CNV regions. The database consists of 481 clustered miRNAs co-localized with CNVs and their expression patterns in 35 cancer types of the TCGA. The portal also provides information on CFSs, miRNA cluster candidates, genomic coordinates, target gene networks, and gene functionality. The web portal is integrated with advanced tools such as JBrowse, NCBI-BLAST, GeneSCF, visNetwork, and NetworkD3 to help the researchers in data analysis, visualization, and browsing. This portal provides a promising avenue for integrated data analytics and offers additional evidence for the complex regulation of clustered miRNAs in cancer. The web portal is freely accessible at http://slsdb.manipal.edu/cmirclust to explore clinically significant miRNAs.
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Rios-Colon L, Chijioke J, Niture S, Afzal Z, Qi Q, Srivastava A, Ramalinga M, Kedir H, Cagle P, Arthur E, Sharma M, Moore J, Deep G, Suy S, Collins SP, Kumar D. Leptin modulated microRNA-628-5p targets Jagged-1 and inhibits prostate cancer hallmarks. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10073. [PMID: 35710817 PMCID: PMC9203512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13279-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules that play a regulatory role in gene expression and cancer cell signaling. We previously identified miR-628-5p (miR-628) as a potential biomarker in serum samples from men with prostate cancer (PCa) (Srivastava et al. in Tumour Biol 35:4867–4873, 10.1007/s13277-014-1638-1, 2014). This study examined the detailed cellular phenotypes and pathways regulated by miR-628 in PCa cells. Since obesity is a significant risk factor for PCa, and there is a correlation between levels of the obesity-associated hormone leptin and PCa development, here we investigated the functional relationship between leptin and miR-628 regulation in PCa. We demonstrated that exposure to leptin downregulated the expression of miR-628 and increased cell proliferation/migration in PCa cells. We next studied the effects on cancer-related phenotypes in PCa cells after altering miR-628 expression levels. Enforced expression of miR-628 in PCa cells inhibited cell proliferation, reduced PCa cell survival/migration/invasion/spheroid formation, and decreased markers of cell stemness. Mechanistically, miR-628 binds with the JAG1-3′UTR and inhibits the expression of Jagged-1 (JAG1). JAG1 inhibition by miR-628 downregulated Notch signaling, decreased the expression of Snail/Slug, and modulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasiveness in PC3 cells. Furthermore, expression of miR-628 in PCa cells increased sensitivity towards the drugs enzalutamide and docetaxel by induction of cell apoptosis. Collectively our data suggest that miR-628 is a key regulator of PCa carcinogenesis and is modulated by leptin, offering a novel therapeutic opportunity to inhibit the growth of advanced PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslimar Rios-Colon
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Juliet Chijioke
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Suryakant Niture
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Zainab Afzal
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Qi Qi
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Anvesha Srivastava
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Malathi Ramalinga
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Habib Kedir
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Patrice Cagle
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Elena Arthur
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Mitu Sharma
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - John Moore
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA
| | - Gagan Deep
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.,Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Simeng Suy
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, 20057, USA
| | - Sean P Collins
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, 20057, USA
| | - Deepak Kumar
- Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute (BBRI), North Carolina Central University, 1801 Fayetteville St., Durham, NC, 27707, USA.
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Mavingire N, Campbell P, Liu T, Wooten J, Khan S, Chen X, Matthews J, Wang C, Brantley E. Aminoflavone upregulates putative tumor suppressor miR-125b-2-3p to inhibit luminal A breast cancer stem cell-like properties. PRECISION CLINICAL MEDICINE 2022; 5:pbac008. [PMID: 35694715 PMCID: PMC9172653 DOI: 10.1093/pcmedi/pbac008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastatic breast cancer is incurable and often due to breast cancer stem cell (CSC)-mediated self-renewal. We previously determined that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist aminoflavone (AF) inhibits the expression of the CSC biomarker α6-integrin (ITGA6) to disrupt the formation of luminal (hormone receptor-positive) mammospheres (3D breast cancer spheroids). In this study, we performed miRNA-sequencing analysis of luminal A MCF-7 mammospheres treated with AF to gain further insight into the mechanism of AF-mediated anti-cancer and anti-breast CSC activity. AF significantly induced the expression of >70 microRNAs (miRNAs) including miR125b-2-3p, a predicted stemness gene regulator. AF-mediated miR125b-2-3p induction was validated in MCF-7 mammospheres and cells. miR125b-2-3p levels were low in breast cancer tissues irrespective of subtype compared to normal breast tissues. While miR125b-2-3p levels were low in MCF-7 cells, they were much lower in AHR100 cells (MCF-7 cells made unresponsive to AhR agonists). The miR125b-2-3p mimic decreased, while the antagomiR125b-2-3p increased the expression of stemness genes ITGA6 and SOX2 in MCF-7 cells. In MCF-7 mammospheres, the miR125b-2-3p mimic decreased only ITGA6 expression although the antagomiR125b-2-3p increased ITGA6, SOX2 and MYC expression. AntagomiR125b-2-3p reversed AF-mediated suppression of ITGA6. The miR125b-2-3p mimic decreased proliferation, migration, and mammosphere formation while the antagomiR125b-2-3p increased proliferation and mammosphere formation in MCF-7 cells. The miR125b-2-3p mimic also inhibited proliferation, mammosphere formation, and migration in AHR100 cells. AF induced AhR- and miR125b2-3p-dependent anti-proliferation, anti-migration, and mammosphere disruption in MCF-7 cells. Our findings suggest that miR125b-2-3p is a tumor suppressor and AF upregulates miR125b-2-3p to disrupt mammospheres via mechanisms that rely at least partially on AhR in luminal A breast cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Mavingire
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Petreena Campbell
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Current address: Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, PO Box B, Bldg. 432, Room 232 Frederick, MD 21702-1201, USA
| | - Tiantian Liu
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Genomics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Jonathan Wooten
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Salma Khan
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Genomics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Jason Matthews
- Department of Nutrition, University of Oslo, Oslo 0372, Norway
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Charles Wang
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Genomics, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Eileen Brantley
- Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
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Large−Scale Profiling of Extracellular Vesicles Identified miR−625−5p as a Novel Biomarker of Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Non−Small−Cell Lung Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102435. [PMID: 35626040 PMCID: PMC9139420 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) leading to substantial improvement in survival time and quality of life. Nevertheless, the clinical benefit of treatment is still limited to a minority of patients, reflecting the need to identify novel noninvasive biomarkers to improve patient selection. Currently available markers such as PD-L1 expression have important limitations. In this study, we focused on extracellular vesicles (EV)-associated miRNAs produced by cancer cells and their microenvironment that can be easily detected in blood. In particular, after a large-scale screening of 799 EV-miRNAs, we identified EV-miR-625-5p as a novel independent biomarker of response and survival in ICI-treated NSCLC patients, in particular in patients with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50%. EV-miR-625-5p integrated with PDL-1 test could allow the clinician to identify in advance patients that would benefit from ICIs. Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are largely used in the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Novel biomarkers that provide biological information that could be useful for clinical management are needed. In this respect, extracellular vesicles (EV)-associated microRNAs (miRNAs) that are the principal vehicle of intercellular communication may be important sources of biomarkers. We analyzed the levels of 799 EV-miRNAs in the pretreatment plasma of 88 advanced NSCLC patients who received anti-PD-1 therapy as single agent. After data normalization, we used a two-step approach to identify candidate biomarkers associated to both objective response (OR) by RECIST and longer overall survival (OS). Univariate and multivariate analyses including known clinicopathologic variables and new findings were performed. In our cohort, 24/88 (27.3%) patients showed OR by RECIST. Median OS in the whole cohort was 11.5 months. In total, 196 EV-miRNAs out 799 were selected as expressed above background. After multiplicity adjustment, abundance of EV-miR-625-5p was found to be correlated with PD-L1 expression and significantly associated to OR by RECIST (p = 0.0366) and OS (p = 0.0031). In multivariate analysis, PD-L1 staining and EV-miR-625-5p levels were constantly associated to OR and OS. Finally, we showed that EV-miR-625-5p levels could discriminate patients with longer survival, in particular in the class expressing PD-L1 ≥50%. EV-miRNAs represent a source of relevant biomarkers. EV-miR-625-5p is an independent biomarker of response and survival in ICI-treated NSCLC patients, in particular in patients with PD-L1 expression ≥50%.
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Dominant transcript expression profiles of human protein-coding genes interrogated with GTEx dataset. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6969. [PMID: 35484179 PMCID: PMC9050722 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10619-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery and quantification of mRNA transcripts using short-read next-generation sequencing (NGS) data is a complicated task. There are far more alternative mRNA transcripts expressed by human genes than can be identified from NGS transcriptome data and various bioinformatic pipelines, while the numbers of annotated human protein-coding genes has gradually declined in recent years. It is essential to learn more about the thorough tissue expression profiles of alternative transcripts in order to obtain their molecular modulations and actual functional significance. In this report, we present a bioinformatic database for interrogating the representative tissue of human protein-coding transcripts. The database allows researchers to visually explore the top-ranked transcript expression profiles in particular tissue types. Most transcripts of protein-coding genes were found to have certain tissue expression patterns. This observation demonstrated that many alternative transcripts were particularly modulated in different cell types. This user-friendly tool visually represents transcript expression profiles in a tissue-specific manner. Identification of tissue specific protein-coding genes and transcripts is a substantial advance towards interpreting their biological functions and further functional genomics studies.
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Bigagli E, Locatello LG, Di Stadio A, Maggiore G, Valdarnini F, Bambi F, Gallo O, Luceri C. Extracellular vesicles miR-210 as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and survival prediction of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. J Oral Pathol Med 2021; 51:350-357. [PMID: 34800057 PMCID: PMC9300091 DOI: 10.1111/jop.13263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background The identification of early diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an unmet clinical need. We hypothesized that extracellular vesicles miR‐210 expression (EV‐miR‐210) could be a potential biomarker for OSCC diagnosis and follow‐up. Methods The expression of EV‐miR‐210 was measured in the plasma of OSCC patients (n = 30) and compared to that of controls (n = 14). Results The median EV‐miR‐210 expression was significantly higher in OSCC patients compared to controls who had often, undetectable levels (p < 0.0001). We performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for discriminating OSCC cases from controls. EV‐miR‐210 yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9513 with sensitivity 92.3% and specificity 86.6%. Kaplan‐Meier curves indicated that high EV‐miR‐210 expression was associated with worse 3 years’ survival (p < 0.05). Cox regression hazard model indicated that high EV‐miR‐210, G2, and G3 grading and pathological nodal status (pN)>1 were independent predictors of worse survival in OSCC patients. Conclusion These preliminary data suggest that EV‐mir‐210 may be a novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Bigagli
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health - NEUROFARBA - Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Arianna Di Stadio
- Department of Otolaryngology, Silvestrini University Hospital, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Valdarnini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health - NEUROFARBA - Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Franco Bambi
- Cell Factory Meyer, "A. Meyer" University Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Oreste Gallo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Luceri
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health - NEUROFARBA - Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Panvongsa W, Siripoon T, Worakitchanon W, Arsa L, Trachu N, Jinawath N, Ngamphaiboon N, Chairoungdua A. Plasma extracellular vesicle microRNA-491-5p as diagnostic and prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:4257-4269. [PMID: 34273216 PMCID: PMC8486186 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Poor survival of patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) is partly due to early diagnosis difficulties and the lack of reliable biomarkers for predicting treatment outcomes. In the discovery cohort, plasma-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) from LA-HNSCC patients (n = 48) and healthy volunteers (n = 12) were used for profiling for microRNA (miRNA) expression by NanoString analysis. Ten EV-associated miRNAs were differentially expressed between LA-HNSCC patients and healthy volunteers. Subsequently, the results were validated in the individual discovery and additional cases (HNSCC, n = 73; control, n = 20) by quantitative RT-PCR. Among 10 EV-miRNAs, four (miR-27b-3p, miR-491-5p, miR-1910-5p, and miR-630) were significantly dysregulated in LA-HNSCC patients (n = 73) compared with healthy volunteers (n = 20). The miRNA prediction models were developed to discriminate HNSCC patients from healthy volunteers. The model using miR-491-5p was selected as a diagnostic biomarker for LA-HNSCC with a sensitivity and specificity of 46.6% and 100%, respectively (P < .001). The dynamic changes of miRNA model score (ΔmiRNAs) were determined using scores pre- and postdefinitive treatment to further investigate the prognostic value of miRNA prediction models. The univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that ΔmiR-491-5p was the most powerful and independent prognostic indicator for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 5.66, 95% confidence interval, 1.77-18.01; P = .003) and disease-free survival (HR 2.82, 95% CI, 1.13-7.05; P = .027) of HNSCC patients. In summary, the miR-491-5p prediction model could serve as a blood-based diagnostic marker for LA-HNSCC. Moreover, ΔmiR-491-5p could be a potential monitoring prognostic marker to reflect the survival of HNSCC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wittaya Panvongsa
- Toxicology Graduate ProgramFaculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery (ECDD)Mahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Teerada Siripoon
- Division of Medical OncologyDepartment of MedicineFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi HospitalMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Wittawin Worakitchanon
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery (ECDD)Mahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Department of PhysiologyFaculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Lalida Arsa
- Molecular Histopathology LaboratoryDepartment of PathologyFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi HospitalMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Narumol Trachu
- Research CenterFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi HospitalMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Natini Jinawath
- Program in Translational MedicineFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi HospitalMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Integrative Computational BioScience Center (ICBS)Mahidol UniversityNakhon PathomThailand
| | - Nuttapong Ngamphaiboon
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery (ECDD)Mahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Division of Medical OncologyDepartment of MedicineFaculty of Medicine Ramathibodi HospitalMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
| | - Arthit Chairoungdua
- Toxicology Graduate ProgramFaculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Excellent Center for Drug Discovery (ECDD)Mahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
- Department of PhysiologyFaculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
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Rajarajan D, Kaur B, Penta D, Natesh J, Meeran SM. miR-145-5p as a predictive biomarker for breast cancer stemness by computational clinical investigation. Comput Biol Med 2021; 135:104601. [PMID: 34186326 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast tumors enriched with breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), play a crucial role in metastasis and tumor relapse. Hence, targeting BCSCs may lead to efficacious breast cancer therapy. BCSCs have a unique expression of stemness markers, including Nanog, POU5F1, SOX2, and CD44, which play a vital role in cancer stem cell properties. However, the regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs)-mediated cancer stem cell marker expressions is largely unclear. METHODS MIENTURNET was used to predict miRNA-target interactions. miR-TV, UALCAN and GEPIA databases were used to analyze the expression of miR-145-5p and SOX2. Survival analysis was obtained by cBioportal, KM plotter and Breast Cancer Gene-Expression Miner. RNAComposer was used to perform miRNA-mRNA duplex prediction. In vitro mRNA and miRNA analysis was performed by qRT-PCR. RESULTS It was observed that miR-145-5p was the common miRNA targeting stemness markers. miR-145-5p expression was found to be lower in breast cancer patients compared to healthy subjects. Based on survival analysis, low expression of miR-145-5p and high expression of SOX2 led to a poor overall survival rate in breast cancer patients. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that SOX2 was highly enriched with transcription factors. Moreover, SOX2 expression level was also upregulated in axillary metastatic lymph nodules. Further, in vitro ectopic expression of miR-145-5p by its mimic downregulated the SOX2 expression compared to the control mimic. Overall, SOX2 was a direct target for miR-145-5p as per the binding and minimal-free energy. CONCLUSIONS In this study, miR-145-5p targeting SOX2 was identified as a potential predictive biomarker for breast cancer stemness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dheeran Rajarajan
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Bhavjot Kaur
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India
| | - Dhanamjai Penta
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Jagadish Natesh
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India
| | - Syed Musthapa Meeran
- Department of Biochemistry, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, 570020, Karnataka, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201 002, India.
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Shetty A, Suresh PS. A synergy of estradiol with leptin modulates the long non-coding RNA NEAT1/ mmu-miR-204-5p/IGF1 axis in the uterus of high-fat-diet-induced obese ovariectomized mice. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 209:105843. [PMID: 33588025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Obesity increases the risk of developing cancers for both males and females. This study investigated potential crosstalk between estradiol and leptin signaling pathways within the endometrium of high-fat-diet-induced obese ovariectomized mice to gain insight into possible links between obesity and endometrial cancer. We administered 17-β estradiol (0.2 μg/mouse subcutaneously) and/or recombinant mouse leptin (1 μg/g Bwt intraperitoneally.,) for 20 h to high-fat-diet-induced obese ovariectomized mice. The uterine tissues of experimental animals after treatments were studied by histological, immunohistochemical, quantitative real-time PCR (gene/miRNAs), and methylation-specific PCR analyses. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis revealed significantly increased expression of Cyclin d1, Esr1, Igf1, Igfbp2, Vegf, Oct4, and Pgr after estradiol and leptin co-treatment. Methylation-specific PCR results indicated that the hormonal dependent transcriptional regulation of Vegf, Igf1, and Pgr is independent of promoter methylation. The decreased expression of mmu- miR-204-5p after estradiol and leptin treatments correlated with the increased expression of long non-coding RNA Neat1. Insilico analysis confirmed the interaction of Neat1 and mmu- miR-204-5p and gene targets of mmu-miR-204-5p, including Igf1 were analyzed in this study. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed subcellular localization and increased expression of ESR, VEGF, phospho-Estrogen Receptor-α (pTyr537), and LEPR proteins following estradiol and leptin exposure. Overall, the data from our in vivo studies suggest the regulation of Neat1-mmu-miR-204-5p- Igf1 axis and associated gene expression changes in uterine tissue after estradiol and leptin co-treatment. In humans, long-term exposure to estradiol and leptin can alter endometrial homeostasis through the NEAT1-miR-204-5p-Igf1 axis and favor carcinogenic pathways, which provide mechanistic insight into the obesity-associated endometrial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Shetty
- Department of Biosciences, Mangalore University, Mangalagangothri, Mangalore, 574 199, Karnataka, India
| | - Padmanaban S Suresh
- School of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology, Calicut, 673601, Kerala, India.
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11
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Jiang S. Perspectives on MicroRNA Study in Oncogenesis: Where Are We? Neoplasia 2021; 23:99-101. [PMID: 33260033 PMCID: PMC7708938 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Jiang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA.
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12
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Xu D, Dong P, Xiong Y, Chen R, Konno Y, Ihira K, Yue J, Watari H. PD-L1 Is a Tumor Suppressor in Aggressive Endometrial Cancer Cells and Its Expression Is Regulated by miR-216a and lncRNA MEG3. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:598205. [PMID: 33363153 PMCID: PMC7755603 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.598205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poorly differentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma and serous adenocarcinoma represent an aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer (EC). Programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) was known to exhibit a tumor cell-intrinsic function in mediating immune-independent tumor progression. However, the functional relevance of tumor cell-intrinsic PD-L1 expression in aggressive EC cells and the mechanisms regulating its expression remain unknown. METHODS PD-L1 expression in 65 EC tissues and 18 normal endometrium samples was analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. The effects of PD-L1 on aggressive EC cell growth, migration and invasion were investigated by cell functional assays. Luciferase reporter assays were used to reveal the microRNA-216a (miR-216a)-dependent mechanism modulating the expression of PD-L1. RESULTS Positive PD-L1 expression was identified in 84% of benign cases but only in 12% of the EC samples, and the staining levels of PD-L1 in EC tissues were significantly lower than those in the normal tissues. Higher PD-L1 expression predicts favorable survival in EC. Ectopic expression of PD-L1 in aggressive EC cells results in decreased cell proliferation and the loss of mesenchymal phenotypes. Mechanistically, PD-L1 exerts the anti-tumor effects by downregulating MCL-1 expression. We found that PD-L1 levels in aggressive EC cells are regulated by miR-216a, which directly targets PD-L1. We further identified a mechanism whereby the long non-coding RNA MEG3 represses the expression of miR-216a, thereby leading to increased PD-L1 expression and significant inhibition of cell migration and invasion. CONCLUSION These results reveal an unappreciated tumor cell-intrinsic role for PD-L1 as a tumor suppressor in aggressive EC cells, and identify MEG3 and miR-216a as upstream regulators of PD-L1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daozhi Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Peixin Dong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ying Xiong
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Gynecology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yosuke Konno
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kei Ihira
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Junming Yue
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
- Center for Cancer Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Hidemichi Watari
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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13
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Tittarelli A, Navarrete M, Lizana M, Hofmann-Vega F, Salazar-Onfray F. Hypoxic Melanoma Cells Deliver microRNAs to Dendritic Cells and Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes through Connexin-43 Channels. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207567. [PMID: 33066331 PMCID: PMC7589225 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in microRNA (miRNA) profiles, induced by tumor microenvironment stressors, like hypoxia, allow cancer cells to acquire immune-resistance phenotypes. Indeed, hypoxia-induced miRNAs have been implicated in cancer progression through numerous cancer cell non-autonomous mechanisms, including the direct transfer of hypoxia-responsive miRNA from cancer to immune cells via extracellular vesicles. Connexin-43 (Cx43)-constituted gap junctions (GJs) have also been involved in miRNA intercellular mobilization, in other biological processes. In this report, we aimed to evaluate the involvement of Cx43-GJs in the shift of miRNAs induced by hypoxia, from hypoxic melanoma cells to dendritic cells and melanoma-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Using qRT-PCR arrays, we identified that miR-192-5p was strongly induced in hypoxic melanoma cells. Immune cells acquired this miRNA after co-culture with hypoxic melanoma cells. The transfer of miR-192-5p was inhibited when hypoxic melanoma cells expressed a dominant negative Cx43 mutant or when Cx43 expression was silenced using specific short-hairpin RNAs. Interestingly, miR-192-5p levels on CTLs after co-culture with hypoxic melanoma cells were inversely correlated with the cytotoxic activity of T cells and with ZEB2 mRNA expression, a validated immune-related target of miR-192-5p, which is also observed in vivo. Altogether, our data suggest that hypoxic melanoma cells may suppress CTLs cytotoxic activity by transferring hypoxia-induced miR-192-5p through a Cx43-GJs driven mechanism, constituting a resistance strategy for immunological tumor escape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Tittarelli
- Programa Institucional de Fomento a la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (PIDi), Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana (UTEM), Santiago 8940577, Chile
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +56-2-2787-7903
| | - Mariela Navarrete
- Disciplinary Program of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; (M.N.); (M.L.); (F.H.-V.); (F.S.-O.)
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Marcelo Lizana
- Disciplinary Program of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; (M.N.); (M.L.); (F.H.-V.); (F.S.-O.)
| | - Francisca Hofmann-Vega
- Disciplinary Program of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; (M.N.); (M.L.); (F.H.-V.); (F.S.-O.)
| | - Flavio Salazar-Onfray
- Disciplinary Program of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile; (M.N.); (M.L.); (F.H.-V.); (F.S.-O.)
- Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
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14
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Tung KF, Pan CY, Chen CH, Lin WC. Top-ranked expressed gene transcripts of human protein-coding genes investigated with GTEx dataset. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16245. [PMID: 33004865 PMCID: PMC7530651 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73081-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With considerable accumulation of RNA-Seq transcriptome data, we have extended our understanding about protein-coding gene transcript compositions. However, alternatively compounded patterns of human protein-coding gene transcripts would complicate gene expression data processing and interpretation. It is essential to exhaustively interrogate complex mRNA isoforms of protein-coding genes with an unified data resource. In order to investigate representative mRNA transcript isoforms to be utilized as transcriptome analysis references, we utilized GTEx data to establish a top-ranked transcript isoform expression data resource for human protein-coding genes. Distinctive tissue specific expression profiles and modulations could be observed for individual top-ranked transcripts of protein-coding genes. Protein-coding transcripts or genes do occupy much higher expression fraction in transcriptome data. In addition, top-ranked transcripts are the dominantly expressed ones in various normal tissues. Intriguingly, some of the top-ranked transcripts are noncoding splicing isoforms, which imply diverse gene regulation mechanisms. Comprehensive investigation on the tissue expression patterns of top-ranked transcript isoforms is crucial. Thus, we established a web tool to examine top-ranked transcript isoforms in various human normal tissue types, which provides concise transcript information and easy-to-use graphical user interfaces. Investigation of top-ranked transcript isoforms would contribute understanding on the functional significance of distinctive alternatively spliced transcript isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo-Feng Tung
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chao-Yu Pan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan, ROC.,Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chao-Hsin Chen
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wen-Chang Lin
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 115, Taiwan, ROC. .,Institute of Biomedical Informatics, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
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15
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Kondrotienė A, Daukša A, Pamedytytė D, Kazokaitė M, Žvirblienė A, Daukšienė D, Simanavičienė V, Klimaitė R, Golubickaitė I, Stakaitis R, Šarauskas V, Verkauskienė R, Žilaitienė B. Plasma-Derived miRNA-222 as a Candidate Marker for Papillary Thyroid Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176445. [PMID: 32899424 PMCID: PMC7503340 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed five miRNA molecules (miR-221; miR-222; miR-146b; miR-21; miR-181b) in the plasma of patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), nodular goiter (NG) and healthy controls (HC) and evaluated their diagnostic value for differentiation of PTC from NG and HC. Preoperative PTC plasma miRNA expression (n = 49) was compared with plasma miRNA in the HC group (n = 57) and patients with NG (n = 23). It was demonstrated that miR-221; miR-222; miR-146b; miR-21 and miR-181b were overexpressed in preoperative PTC plasma samples compared to HC (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001; p < 0.002; respectively). The upregulation in tumor tissue of these miRNAs was consistent with The Cancer Genome Atlas Thyroid Carcinoma dataset. A significant decrease in miR-21; miR-221; miR-146b and miR-181b expression was observed in the plasma of PTC patients after total thyroidectomy (p = 0.004; p = 0.001; p = 0.03; p = 0.036; respectively). The levels of miR-222 were significantly higher in the preoperative PTC compared to the NG group (p = 0.004). ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic curve) analysis revealed miR-222 as a potential marker in distinguishing PTC from NG (AUC 0.711; p = 0.004). In conclusion; circulating miR-222 profiles might be useful in discriminating PTC from NG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aistė Kondrotienė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
| | - Albertas Daukša
- Institute of Digestive Research, Medical Academy, Faculty of Medicine, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania;
| | - Daina Pamedytytė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (D.P.); (A.Ž.); (V.S.)
| | - Mintautė Kazokaitė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
| | - Aurelija Žvirblienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (D.P.); (A.Ž.); (V.S.)
| | - Dalia Daukšienė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
| | - Vaida Simanavičienė
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, LT-10257 Vilnius, Lithuania; (D.P.); (A.Ž.); (V.S.)
| | - Raimonda Klimaitė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
| | - Ieva Golubickaitė
- Institute of Biology systems and genetic research, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania;
| | - Rytis Stakaitis
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurooncology, Neuroscience Institute, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania;
| | - Valdas Šarauskas
- Department of Pathology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania;
| | - Rasa Verkauskienė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
| | - Birutė Žilaitienė
- Institute of Endocrinology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-50161 Kaunas, Lithuania; (A.K.); (M.K.); (D.D.); (R.K.); (R.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +370-68649882
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