title: Dysregulation of microRNA biosynthesis enzyme Dicer plays an important role in gastric cancer progression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dicer is one of the most important components in microRNA biogenesis. Although studies have revealed the aberrantly expression of Dicer in types of cancer, the results were greatly controversial. Here we aimed to study the expression of Dicer in gastric cancer (GC) and further explored the possible roles of Dicer in cancer progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The alteration of Dicer-expression in GC and its clinical significance was retrospectively studied with immunohistochemical analyses on 377 cases of cancer tissues using tissue microarray (TMA). Dicer mRNA and protein levels were also examined in 8 paired of GC tissues and non-neoplastic surrounding gastric epithelium with real time RT-PCR and western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that Dicer was reduced in GC tissues in both mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, down-regulation of Dicer was correlated highly with tumor differentiation (P<0.05) and lymph node invasion (P<0.05) in GC tissues, which suggested an essential role of Dicer in cancer invasion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering that Dicer might be closely related to progression of GC, we proposed that Dicer might offer a promising target for prevention of metastatic progression in GC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Hua
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Cai-Xia
authors.initials: CX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, No. 91 Central Hospital of The People's Liberation Army Jiaozuo, China.
authors.forename: Juan-Juan
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Qun-Li
authors.initials: QL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000378:metabolism*; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D043244:Ribonuclease III
keywords: Dicer; gastric cancer; immunohistochemical analyses