title: Elevated microRNA miR-21 levels in pancreatic cyst fluid are predictive of mucinous precursor lesions of ductal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biomarkers for the diagnostic classification of pancreatic cysts are urgently needed. Deregulated microRNA (miRNAs) expression is widespread in pancreatic cancer. We assessed whether aberrant miRNAs in pancreatic cyst fluid could be used as potential biomarkers for cystic precursor lesions of pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cyst fluid specimens were prospectively collected from 40 surgically resected pancreatic cysts, and small RNAs were extracted. The 'mucinous' cohort included 14 intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (including 3 with an associated adenocarcinoma) and 10 mucinous cystic neoplasms; the 'nonmucinous' cohort included 11 serous cystadenomas and 5 other benign cysts. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR was performed for five miRNAs (miR-21, miR-155, miR-221, miR-17-3p, miR-191), which were previously reported as overexpressed in pancreatic adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher expression of miR-21, miR-221, and miR-17-3p was observed in the mucinous versus nonmucinous cysts (p < 0.01), with the mean relative fold differences being 7.0-, 7.9-, and 5.4-fold, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated the highest median area under the curve for miR-21, with a median specificity of 76%, at a sensitivity of 80%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study demonstrates that profiling miRNAs in pancreatic cyst fluid samples is feasible and can yield potential biomarkers for the classification of cystic lesions of the pancreas. and IAP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.
authors.forename: Ji Kon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matthaei
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dal Molin
authors.forename: Seung-Mo
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Marcia I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Canto
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Schulick
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wolfgang
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Goggins
authors.forename: Ralph H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hruban
authors.forename: Leslie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cope
authors.forename: Anirban
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maitra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D020420:Cyst Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D018282:Cystadenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010181:Pancreatic Cyst / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs