MicroRNA expression levels as diagnostic biomarkers for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm

Abstract

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are deadly exocrine mucinous tumors. Currently the molecular features and diagnostic markers of IPMNs are not well understood. In this study, we performed microRNA (miRNA) profiling assays to study the potential roles of miRNAs in IPMNs using 78 cases of IPMN patients and controls. When comparing the miRNA expression between IPMN patient samples and controls, we found that miR-210, miR-223, miR-221, miR-155 and miR-187 were differentially expressed in normal pancreas and IPMNs. We further studied the miRNA expression profiles in different pancreatic diseases and identified miRNA features that are associated with Chronic pancreatitis (CP), IPMN, and Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Therefore, these miRNAs might serve as new risk biomarkers of IPMN and could be useful for future targeted therapies.

Keywords: cancer diagnosis; intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs); miRNA.

Figure 1. MicroRNA expression profiles in IPMN patient samples

miRNA expression levels were determined by SYBR Green I base quantitative PCR. Briefly, RNA samples were in vitro transcribed in to cDNA using miRNA specific stem-loop RT primers, the the RT products were used for the real time PCR analysis. The expression of individual miRNAs were normalized to Let-7a using 2^-ΔCt method. N=3.

Figure 2. Differential miRNA expression between IPMN and NP samples

The relative expression levels of miR-155 and miR-210 were determined by real time PCR analysis using IPMS and NP samples.