title: Let-7c is a Candidate Biomarker for Cervical Intraepithelial Lesions: A Pilot Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Numerous studies have been performed to discover predictive/prognostic biomarkers for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer development. More recently, microRNAs were suggested as possible biomarkers of HPV-associated cancers and our aim was to characterize the expression of let-7c in exfoliated cervical cells from women with cervical intraepithelial lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Let-7c expression was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 73 women with normal or cervical intraepithelial lesions: normal epithelium with (n = 17) and without (n = 21) HPV infection; low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 14); and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (n = 21).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data showed a trend to down-regulation in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (2(-ΔΔCt) = 0.38, p = 0.06) and a significant decreased expression of let-7c in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (2(-ΔΔCt) = 0.21; p = 0.004). The combined analysis of all cervical intraepithelial lesions revealed a down-regulation of let-7c expression (2(-ΔΔCt) = 0.27; p = 0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that let-7c expression is significantly changed in the different cervical intraepithelial lesions and its levels should be further investigated as a possible biomarker for cervical intraepithelial lesions using exfoliated cervical cells as the sample source.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, Porto, 4169-007, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malta
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Medeiros
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; C487931:mirnlet7 microRNA, human