1530P - Serum microRNAs as potential biomarkers for lung cancer

Abstract

MicroRNAs are single-stranded RNA species that constitute a class of non-coding RNAs, and are emerging as key regulators of gene expression. Since each miRNA is capable of regulating multiple genes, miRNAs are attractive markers for studies of coordinated gene expression. The interest in circulating RNAs as biomarkers is rapidly increasing as their potential is being realized. In this study, we investigated serum miRNA expression to compare non-small-cell lung cancer patients and controls by our previous studied miRNA profiles. This study involved RNA isolation from 184 sera specimens including those from lung cancer patients and age- and gender-matched controls (n = 92 each). Serum RNA was isolated with miRNeasy Serum/Plasma Kit (Qiagen), and reverse transcription was performed using the miScript II RT Kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's instructions.Real-time PCR was performed on the StepOnePlusTM Real Time PCR System (Applied Biosystems) using the miScript SYBR Green PCR Kit (Qiagen), according to the manufacturer's instructions. The data were analyzed using the PCR array data analysis tools (Qiagen). Appropriate informed consent was obtained from the participants, and the Institutional Review Board of the Kangwon National University Hospital (Chuncheon, Korea) approved the study. miR-21-5p, miR-144-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-205-5p, miR-891a-5p and miR-1246 was found to be present at substantially higher levels in lung cancer compared with control sera, as indicated by an absolute fold change ≥1.0 and P < 0.05. And miR-1246 was most significantly higher level in in lung cancer compared with control sera (fold change = 5.6, p-value < 0.05). Conversely, let-7c-5p, miR1-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-139-5p, miR-196a-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-210-3p, miR-301b-3p, miR-30a-3p, miR-338-3p, miR-490-3p, miR-577, miR-615-3p and miR-944 did not show significant difference between two groups. Differences in miRNA profile identified support circulating miRNA s having potential as diagnostic biomarkers for lung cancer. More extensive studies of lung cancer and control serum specimens are warranted to independently validate the potential clinical relevance of these miRNA s as minimally invasive biomarkers for lung cancer.