Abstract
Simple SummaryProstate cancer lacks non-invasive specific biomarkers for aggressive disease. Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEV) could provide such markers; however, due to technical challenges, little is known regarding the pathogenesis pathways reflected in uEV. We performed a miRNA, target mRNA and pathway study focused on uEV, exploring the differences between cancer (1) status groups (Gleason score) and (2) progression groups. The uEV provided a surprisingly comprehensive presentation of differentially expressed miRNAs, target mRNAs and pathogenesis pathways. The miRNAs associated with prostate cancer status or progression were mostly unique, but still targeted overlapping sets of signalling, resistance, hormonal and immune pathways. Interestingly, mRNA targets of the key miRNAs (miR-892a, miR-223-3p, miR-146a-5p) were widely expressed in both uEV and plasma EV from PCa patients. The study thus suggests that uEV carry a vast presentation of PCa status and progression-linked RNAs that are worth further exploration in large personalized medicine trials.Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) lacks non-invasive specific biomarkers for aggressive disease. We studied the potential of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEV) as a liquid PCa biopsy by focusing on the micro RNA (miRNA) cargo, target messenger RNA (mRNA) and pathway analysis. Methods: We subjected uEV samples from 31 PCa patients (pre-prostatectomy) to miRNA sequencing and matched uEV and plasma EV (pEV) from three PCa patients to mRNA sequencing. EV quality control was performed by electron microscopy, Western blotting and particle and RNA analysis. We compared miRNA expression based on PCa status (Gleason Score) and progression (post-prostatectomy follow-up) and confirmed selected miRNAs by quantitative PCR. Expression of target mRNAs was mapped in matched EV. Results: Quality control showed typical small uEV, pEV, RNA and EV-protein marker enriched samples. Comparisons between PCa groups revealed mostly unique differentially expressed miRNAs. However, they targeted comprehensive and largely overlapping sets of cancer and progression-associated signalling, resistance, hormonal and immune pathways. Quantitative PCR confirmed changes in miR-892a (Gleason Score 7 vs. ≥8), miR-223-3p (progression vs. no progression) and miR-146a-5p (both comparisons). Their target mRNAs were expressed widely in PCa EV. Conclusions: PCa status and progression-linked RNAs in uEV are worth exploration in large personalized medicine trials.
Highlights
Prostate cancer (PCa), the most common malignancy of men in Finland and other Western countries, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths
We focused on small urinary extracellular vesicles (uEV) enriched samples to explore whether micro RNA (miRNA) and their target messenger RNA (mRNA) could provide biomarker candidates and information regarding the different pathogenesis pathways linked to PCa status or progression
Our study aimed to clarify whether miRNA contents in uEV from PCa patients differed (1) between PCa status groups and (2) between PCa progression groups (Figure 1)
Summary
Prostate cancer (PCa), the most common malignancy of men in Finland and other Western countries, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Prostate cancer (PCa) lacks non-invasive specific biomarkers for aggressive disease. We studied the potential of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEV) as a liquid PCa biopsy by focusing on the micro RNA (miRNA) cargo, target messenger RNA (mRNA) and pathway analysis. We compared miRNA expression based on PCa status (Gleason Score) and progression (post-prostatectomy follow-up) and confirmed selected miRNAs by quantitative PCR. Comparisons between PCa groups revealed mostly unique differentially expressed miRNAs. Comparisons between PCa groups revealed mostly unique differentially expressed miRNAs They targeted comprehensive and largely overlapping sets of cancer and progression-associated signalling, resistance, hormonal and immune pathways. Quantitative PCR confirmed changes in miR-892a (Gleason Score 7 vs ≥8), miR-223-3p (progression vs no progression) and miR-146a-5p (both comparisons). Their target mRNAs were expressed widely in PCa EV. Conclusions: PCa status and progression-linked RNAs in uEV are worth exploration in large personalized medicine trials
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