title: Detection of differentially expressed microRNAs in serum of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients: miR-196a could be a potential marker for poor prognosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have long been established to remain stable in circulation, and dysregulated miRNAs in serum of tumor patients could potentially serve as novel biomarkers.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether certain serum miRNAs could represent potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
  
  
  METHODS
  About 35 patients diagnosed with PDAC at different stages between August 2007 and January 2009 were enrolled in this study. Sera from 15 chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients and 15 healthy individuals were treated as controls. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assays specific to mature miRNAs were used to quantify the relative levels of those PDAC-associated serum miRNAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the seven miRNAs detected, three were identified as differentially expressed in PDAC and control groups. miR-21 was able to distinguish PDAC patients from CP (p = 0.033) and healthy subjects (p = 0.001), whereas miR-155 and miR-196a were able to differentiate sera with sick pancreas (PDAC/CP) from normal pancreas (p = 0.0002 and 0.010, respectively). Serum miR-196a expression levels in unresectable PDAC (stages III and IV) patients were significantly higher than those in resectable (stages I and II) patients (p = 0.001). Furthermore, serum miR-196a expression level was found to have a potential value in predicting median survival time of PDAC patients (high-level miR-196a, 6.1 months, (95% CI, 4.49-7.72) versus low-level miR-196a, 12.00 months, (95% CI, 5.92-18.08), p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum miR-196a could be a potential noninvasive marker for PDAC prognosis and selection of laparotomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiangyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Yiqi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Guokun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yanfang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiaqi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: Yongwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Zhaoshen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C542543:MIRN196 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs