Circulating miRNAs miR-34a and miR-150 associated with colorectal cancer progression.
BACKGROUND
Screening for the early detection of colorectal cancer is important to improve patient survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of circulating cell-free miRNAs as biomarkers of CRC, and their efficiency at delineating patients with polyps and benign adenomas from normal and cancer patient groups.


METHODS
The expression of 667 miRNAs was assessed in a discovery set of 48 plasma samples comprising normal, polyp, adenoma, and early and advanced cancer samples. Three miRNAs (miR-34a, miR-150, and miR-923) were further examined in a validation cohort of 97 subjects divided into the same five groups, and in an independent public dataset of 40 CRC samples and paired normal tissues.


RESULTS
High levels of circulating miR-34a and low miR-150 levels distinguished groups of patients with polyps from those with advanced cancer (AUC = 0.904), and low circulating miR-150 levels separated patients with adenomas from those with advanced cancer (AUC = 0.875). In addition, the altered expression of miR-34a and miR-150 in an independent public dataset of forty CRC samples and paired normal tissues was confirmed.


CONCLUSIONS
We identified two circulating miRNAs capable of distinguishing patient groups with different diseases of the colon from each other, and patients with advanced cancer from benign disease groups.
Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland, National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. sinead.aherne@dcu.ie.
Sinéad T
ST
Aherne
Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland, National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. Stephen.madden@dcu.ie.
Stephen F
SF
Madden
Department of Physiology and Medical Physics and Centre for Systems Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland. davidhughes@rcsi.ie.
David J
DJ
Hughes
Human Genetics Foundation, Turin, Italy. barbara.pardini@hugef.org.
Barbara
B
Pardini
Human Genetics Foundation, Turin, Italy. alessio.naccarati@hugef.org.|Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic. alessio.naccarati@hugef.org.
Alessio
A
Naccarati
1st Medical Faculty of Charles University and Thomayer Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic. miroslav.levy@ftn.cz.
Miroslav
M
Levy
Institute of Experimental Medicine, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic. pvodicka@biomed.cas.cz.
Pavel
P
Vodicka
Department of Colorectal Surgery, AMNCH Hospital, Dublin 24, Ireland. paul.neary@amnch.ie.
Paul
P
Neary
Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland, National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. paul.dowling@nuim.ie.|Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth Co., Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland. paul.dowling@nuim.ie.
Paul
P
Dowling
Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland, National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Glasnevin, Dublin 9, Ireland. Martin.Clynes@dcu.ie.
Martin
M
Clynes
D000236:Adenoma / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D003111:Colonic Polyps / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; C533097:MIR150, human; C522425:MIRN34 microRNA, human