title: MiR-495 is a Predictive Biomarker that  Downregulates GFI1 Expression in  Medulloblastoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alterations in the expression level of miR-495 were recently observed in various tumours. Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumour in children. However, the clinical significance of miR-495 in medulloblastomas remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of miR-495 was examined in 62 archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) medulloblastoma specimens using TaqMan Real-time Quantitative PCR arrays. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of Gfi1 in medulloblastoma tissues, and a luciferase reporter assay was carried out to confirm whether Gfi1 is a direct target of miR-495.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MiR-495 expression is repressed in medulloblastoma samples compared with normal cerebellum tissues. Furthermore, patients with a low level of miR- 495 showed significantly poorer survival, as determined by the log-rank test (P = 0.033). The multivariate analysis results showed that the miR-495 expression levels were an independent predictor of overall survival in medulloblastoma patients (P = 0.027; hazard ratio = 0.267). Our study provides the first demonstration that miR-495 directly interacts with the Gfi1 3’UTR to regulate Gfi1 at a post-transcriptional level and that the expression level of miR-495 is inversely correlated with the Gfi1 protein level in medulloblastoma specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that miR-495 may be a prognostic predictor in medulloblastoma and that Gfi1 is a potential functional target of miR-495.
authors.forename: Ce
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhiyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Tianshu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xueling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C498275:GFI1 protein, human; C577768:MIRN495 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D014157:Transcription Factors