title: Diagnostic and predictive significance of serum microRNA-7 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: MicroRNA-7 has been reported to participate in tumorigenesis and progression by several signaling pathways in various tumors. However, its potential as a serum diagnostic factor and predictive biomarker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been studied. Serum samples were collected from 105 pathologically proven ESCC patients and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. All patients were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Real‑time polymerase chain reaction was carried out to measure the serum miR-7 expression level. The data were compared among radio-sensitive and radio-resistant groups, and healthy volunteers to elucidate the diagnostic and predictive value of miR-7 expression. Finally, in vitro experiments are used to clarify the mechanisms of the miR-7. In the present study, we found that the serum miR-7 level of ESCC patients was 4.74-fold lower as compared with healthy subjects, indicating that serum miR-7 expression could be an excellent diagnostic factor. The serum miR-7 expression level for these responsive patients was 2.34‑fold higher than that for non-responsive patients, indicating it as a valuable biomarker for predicting treatment response of ESCC patients to concurrent chemoradiation treatment. We also found that miR-7 levels are strongly correlated with tumor length and the status of lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). In contrast, the responsiveness of therapy is significantly correlated with CEA (P<0.05), Cyfra21-1 (P<0.05), serum miR-7 level (P<0.05) and myelosuppression (P<0.01). In addition, the experimental data also suggest that miR-7 can interfere with EGFR mRNA translation. In ESCC patients, serum miR-7 has the potential to serve as a noninvasive biomarker of diagnosis and predicting treatment responses to concurrent chemoradiation therapy. ESCC patients with lower Cyfra21-1 and CEA, higher miR-7 and severe myelosuppression were much more sensitive to CRT. In addition, miR-7 may function by interfering with EGFR mRNA translation, but not degradation.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Baosheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong 264000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yipeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital, Jinan, Shandong 250117, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chengrui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Yishui Central Hospital, Yishui, Shandong 276400, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Peiliang
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053539:Keratin-19 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D053539:Keratin-19; D035683:MicroRNAs; C549242:MIRN7-1 microRNA, human; C102012:antigen CYFRA21.1; C512478:EGFR protein, human