title: Clinical translation of human microRNA 21 as a potential biomarker for exposure to ionizing radiation.
abstract: This study investigated to what extent the serum microRNA 21 (miR-21) level alters in response to ionizing radiation (IR). Initially, we evaluated the appropriateness of our RNA extraction efficiency and microRNA assay in serum, and then investigated the serum miR-21 level in 4 patients with breast cancer in 4 stages: pre- and postoperation, at the beginning radiotherapy, and after 25 sessions of radiotherapy with a total of 50 Gy irradiation, as well as in 20 healthy volunteers. The initial analysis showed the appropriateness of our RNA extraction efficiency and microRNA assay in serum for identifying people exposed to IR. We then analyzed the serum miR-21 level in another group of 40 patients with breast cancer before and after radiotherapy. During our large-scale analysis, the miR-21 level before radiotherapy was comparable with healthy volunteers (P = 0.10) and increased significantly after radiotherapy (P < 0.001)-an indication that this could discriminate irradiated patients from nonirradiated ones with high specificity (75%) and sensitivity (80%). According to this study, serum miR-21 has the potential to be used as a biomarker for the identification of people exposed to ionizing radiation.
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Halimi
authors: Cellular and Molecular Biology Research Center, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. Electronic address: hadiparsian@yahoo.com.
authors: Hadi
authors: H
authors: Parsian
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. Electronic address: sm_asghari@yahoo.com.
authors: S Mohsen
authors: SM
authors: Asghari
authors: Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
authors: Reyhaneh
authors: R
authors: Sariri
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors: Dariush
authors: D
authors: Moslemi
authors: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Farshid
authors: F
authors: Yeganeh
authors: Department of Radiation Oncology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors: Ebrahim
authors: E
authors: Zabihi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000532:radiotherapy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics*; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005819:Genetic Markers; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm