title: MicroRNA expression profiling of thymic epithelial tumors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymic epithelial tumors (TET) are the most frequent human primary mediastinal tumors in adults. A deep biological characterization of the processes at the basis of the transformed phenotype could strongly improve our understanding of the morphological and clinical heterogeneity of these diseases. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs involved in post-transcriptional regulation and their altered expression accounts for the pathogenesis of several tumors.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify the miRNAs that are differentially expressed in tumor vs normal thymic tissues or among the different tumor histotypes and that could impact on the biology of TET.
  
  
  METHODS
  microRNAs expression profiling was performed by microarray analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue from 54 thymic tumor samples and 12 normal counterparts, derived from two patient cohorts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified groups of miRNAs differentially expressed between: (i) TET and normal thymic tissues, (ii) thymomas and thymic carcinomas, (iii) histotype groups. Moreover, we identified putative molecular pathways targeted by these differentially expressed miRNAs that could be involved in thymic carcinogenesis and in the maintenance and spreading of this tumor.
authors.affiliation: Translational Oncogenomics Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ganci
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology & Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vico
authors.affiliation: Translational Oncogenomics Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Etleva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Korita
authors.affiliation: Translational Oncogenomics Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sacconi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.affiliation: Molecular Chemoprevention Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Division of Pathology, S. Vincenzo Hospital, Taormina, Italy.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cambria
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Eleonora Lorillard Spencer Cenci, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Eleonora Lorillard Spencer Cenci, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anile
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vitolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pescarmona
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Division of Oncological Surgery S. Vincenzo Hospital, Taormina, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blandino
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facciolo
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Fondazione Eleonora Lorillard Spencer Cenci, Italy.
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Venuta
authors.affiliation: Translational Oncogenomics Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blandino
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: marino@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology & Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.fazi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fazi
mesh_terms: D016000:Cluster Analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: EGFR; Thymic epithelial tumors; miR-145; microRNAs