title: microRNA levels in paraffin-embedded indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma tissues from patients chronically infected with hepatitis B or C virus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological evidence links Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) to B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). These B-NHLs, particularly those associated with HCV, may represent a distinct sub-group with peculiar molecular features, including peculiar expression of microRNAs (miRs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues from HBV+, HCV+ and HBV-/HCV- indolent B-NHL patients were analyzed for levels of 34 selected miRs by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Reactive lymph nodes (RLNs) from HBV-/HCV- patients were included as non-tumor control. Statistical analysis of output data included Pearson and Spearman correlation and Mann-Whitney test and were carried out by the STATA software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MiR-92a was decreased exclusively in HBV-/HCV- B-NHLs, while miR-30b was increased in HBV+ and HCV+ samples, though only the HCV+ achieved full statistical significance. Analysis of a small subset of B-NHLs belonging to the same histological subtype (Nodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma) highlighted three miRs associated with HCV infection (miR-223, miR-29a and miR-29b) and confirmed decreased level of miR-92a in HBV-/HCV- samples also when considering this restricted B-NHL group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although caution is needed due to the limited number of analyzed samples, overall the results suggest that differences at the miR expression level exist between indolent B-NHLs developed in patients with or without HBV or HCV infection. The identification of three further miRs associated with HCV by analyzing histologically homogeneous samples suggests that variations of miR levels possibly associated with HBV or HCV may be obscured by the tissue-specific variability of miR level associated with the different histological subtypes of B-NHL. Thus, the identification of further miRs will require, in addition to an increased sample size, the comparison of B-NHL tissues with the same histological classification.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bruni
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Marcantonio
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pulsoni
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tataseo
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Angelis
authors.forename: Enea
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spada
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panfilio
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riminucci
authors.forename: Umbertina
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Villano
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tosti
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciccaglione
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016612:Paraffin Embedding
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs