MicroRNA signatures differentiate uterine cancer tumor subtypes.
OBJECTIVE
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy. Type I EC has a favorable prognosis, while type II ECs account for half of all treatment failures. Little knowledge of the biological differences is available to predict EC outcomes besides their pathological distinctions. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are a family of non-translated RNAs important in regulating oncogenic pathways. Mis-expression patterns of miRNAs in EC, as well as differences in miRNA expression patterns between the subtypes of EC, has not been previously evaluated. Our purpose was to identify miRNA profiles of EC subtypes, and to identify miRNAs associated with these subtypes to ultimately understand the different biological behavior between these subtypes.


METHODS
Ninety-five fresh/frozen and paraffin-embedded samples of endometrial type I and II cancer, carcinosarcomas and benign endometrial samples were collected. MiRNA expression profiles were evaluated by microarray analysis. Statistical analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Distinct miRNA signatures in tumor versus normal samples and in endometrioid vs. uterine papillary serous carcinomas exist. Additionally, carcinosarcomas have a unique miRNA signature from either the type I or II epithelial tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
We hypothesize that further understanding the miRNAs that separate these subtypes of EC will lead to biological insights into the different behavior of these tumors.
Ratner
Elena S
ES
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Tuck
David
D
Richter
Christine
C
Nallur
Sunitha
S
Patel
Rajeshvari M
RM
Schultz
Vince
V
Hui
Pei
P
Schwartz
Peter E
PE
Rutherford
Thomas J
TJ
Weidhaas
Joanne B
JB
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018269:Carcinoma, Endometrioid / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation
D035683:MicroRNAs