title: Identification of a plasma four-microRNA panel as potential noninvasive biomarker for osteosarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as promising biomarkers for human cancer. Osteosarcoma is the most common human primary malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. The objective of this study was to investigate whether circulating miRNAs in plasma could be a useful biomarker for detecting osteosarcoma and monitoring tumor removal dynamics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma samples were obtained from 90 patients before surgery, 50 patients after one month of surgery, and 90 healthy individuals. The study was divided into three steps: First, initial screening of the profiles of circulating miRNAs in pooled plasma samples from healthy controls and pre-operative osteosarcoma patients using a TaqMan low density array (TLDA). Second, evaluation of miRNA concentration in individual plasma samples from 90 pre-operative osteosarcoma patients and 90 healthy controls by a quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay. Third, evaluation of miRNA concentration in paired plasma samples from 50 pre- and post-operative osteosarcoma patients by qRT-PCR assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four plasma miRNAs including miR-195-5p, miR-199a-3p, miR-320a, and miR-374a-5p were significantly increased in the osteosarcoma patients. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis of the combined populations demonstrated that the four-miRNA signature could discriminate cases from controls with an area under the curve of 0.9608 (95% CI 0.9307-0.9912). These 4 miRNAs were markedly decreased in the plasma after operation. In addition, circulating miR-195-5p and miR-199a-3p were correlated with metastasis status, while miR-199a-3p and miR-320a were correlated with histological subtype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that altered levels of circulating miRNAs might have great potential to serve as novel, non-invasive biomarkers for osteosarcoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Chenliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Kewei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, Heilongjiang, China.
authors.forename: Liwen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs