Extensive miRNA expression analysis in craniopharyngiomas.
OBJECTIVE
Craniopharyngiomas are benign tumors of the sellar or parasellar regions. They arise from the remnants of Rathke's pouch and are considered a "developmental disease." microRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that play a key regulatory role in the control of expression of entire gene networks. We performed an extensive analysis of miRNAs in craniopharyngiomas aiming to identify a miRNA expression signature that might aid in the prognosis of disease progression and outcome.


METHODS
Thirty-seven craniopharyngioma samples from twenty-three patients, ten age-matched controls from autopsy, and ten infant controls from the developing pituitary from autopsy were evaluated for the expression of 754 miRNAs using TaqMan® Low Density Arrays (TLDAs) v2.0 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA).


RESULTS
Among the most differentially expressed miRNAs, downregulation of miR-132 appears to be a marker of aggressiveness and also plays a role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first time that an extensive study of miRNA expression has been performed in craniopharyngiomas. Further research needs to be performed to investigate the potential role of miR-132 in the development and progression of craniopharyngiomas, and its value as a prognostic marker of aggressiveness.
Division of Endocrinology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.|Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Jill
J
Samis
Cancer Biology and Epigenomics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, 2430 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60614, USA.
Elio F
EF
Vanin
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. ssredni@luriechildrens.org.|Cancer Biology and Epigenomics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, 2430 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60614, USA. ssredni@luriechildrens.org.|Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. ssredni@luriechildrens.org.
Simone Treiger
ST
Sredni
Cancer Biology and Epigenomics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, 2430 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60614, USA.
Maria de Fátima
Mde F
de Bonaldo
Cancer Biology and Epigenomics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, 2430 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60614, USA.
Fabricio F
FF
Costa
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.|Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Tadanori
T
Tomita
Division of Endocrinology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.|Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Reema
R
Habiby
Division of Endocrinology, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.|Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
Donald
D
Zimmerman
Cancer Biology and Epigenomics, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute, 2430 North Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60614, USA.|Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, 225 E Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.|University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, One Illini Drive, Peoria, IL, 61605, USA.
Marcelo B
MB
Soares
D000293:Adolescent; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
Craniopharyngiomas; miR-132; miR-596; miRNA; microRNA