title: Does RNA editing play a role in the development of urinary bladder cancer?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A-to-I RNA editing is essential for the development of normal cells and is involved in a wide variety of biological pathways. Currently, limited information suggests linkage between changes in RNA editing levels and the development of cancer. We aimed to explore the possible linkage between altered RNA editing levels and the development of human urinary bladder neoplasms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor. Normal and tumoral urinary bladder tissues were obtained from each patient during surgery. Total RNA was extracted from tissue cells and converted by RT-PCR reaction to cDNA molecules for further analysis. We explored known editing sites in RNA encoding for proteins (BLCAP, Cyfip2, FLNA, GluB Q/R) as well as in RNA transcribed from Alu elements in noncoding regions of the genes encoding for CARD11, FANCC, MDM4, BRCA1, and RBBP9 proteins. Editing levels were determined using Sequenom MassARRAY Compact Analyzer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven tumoral tissues obtained were low grade TCC, 14 high grade TCC, 1 CIS, and another 5 inflammation. One sample contained only normal tissue. We got a total number of 30 normal bladder tissue samples and overall 29 paired samples (i.e., normal and tumoral tissues obtained from the same patient). Statistical analysis revealed no significant changes in editing levels between normal and tumoral tissues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Relying on the results obtained for 9 different editing sites, it can be determined that RNA editing is an epigenetic mechanism that does not participate in the evolution of urinary bladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Ha'Shomer, Ramat-Gan, Affiliated to Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel. dorit1e@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dorit E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Zilberman
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Safran
authors.forename: Nurit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Paz
authors.forename: Ninette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Amariglio
authors.forename: Amos
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fridman
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kleinmann
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramon
authors.forename: Gideon
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rechavi
mesh_terms: D000241:Adenosine / Q000737:chemistry; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020087:Alu Elements / Q000235:genetics; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D057890:Epigenomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007288:Inosine / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D017393:RNA Editing / Q000235:genetics*; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D007288:Inosine; D000241:Adenosine