title: MicroRNA profiling of adrenocortical tumors reveals miR-483 as a marker of malignancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors are interested in identifying molecular markers that can aid in the diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). The aim of this study was to identify microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) that are differentially expressed in malignant adrenocortical tumors as compared with benign tumors and assess their potential as diagnostic predictors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified using microarray profiling of adrenocortical tumors and validated by quantitative real-time RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microarray profiling in benign and primary malignant adrenocortical tumors revealed several significant differences between these histological groups. By using directed quantitative RT-PCR analysis on a subset of these differentially expressed miRNAs, the authors determined that miRs -100, -125b, and -195 were significantly down-regulated, whereas miR-483-5p was significantly up-regulated in malignant as compared with benign tumors. Furthermore, the current study shows that miR-483-5p expression can accurately categorize tumors as benign or malignant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors identified 4 miRNAs that are dysregulated in adrenocortical carcinoma. The high expression of one of these, miR-483-5p, appears to be a defining characteristic of adrenocortical malignancies, and can thus be used to accurately distinguish between benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors.
authors.affiliation: Endocrine Oncology Section, Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Erin E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Alisha K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Holloway
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Tito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fojo
authors.forename: Electron
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kebebew
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D039621:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 / Q000032:analysis*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000378:metabolism; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D054928:Validation Studies as Topic
chemical_list: C105988:EIF3A protein, human; D039621:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3; C035170:IGF2 protein, human; C548912:MIRN483 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II