Summary:
MicroRNAs are a class of non-coding molecules found to regulate a variety of
cellular functions in health and disease. Dysregulation of microRNAs is
involved in liver disease, especially hepatocarcinogenesis. Since primary
hepatic malignancies are typically characterized by late diagnosis, frequent
recurrence, and poor response to adjuvant therapy, there is a need for the
discovery of novel biomarkers in order to achieve earlier diagnosis, predict
tumor aggressiveness and response to adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this
study is to evaluate the expression of certain microRNAs (miR-21, -31, -122,
-145, -146a, - 200c, -221, -222 and -223) in patients with hepatocellular
carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), as well as to assess
their prognostic significance. Micro-RNA expression was assessed by reverse
transcription and real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Clinicopathological data and survival
rates were retrieved and analyzed. According to our results, miR-21, miR-31,
miR-122, miR-221, miR-222 were significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues,
whereas miR-145, miR-146a, miR-200c, and miR-223 were found to be
down-regulated. Concerning ICC samples, miR-21, miR-31, and miR-223 were found
to be over-expressed, whereas miR-122, miR-145, miR-200c, miR-221, and miR-222
were down-regulated. Additionally, expression of miR-21, miR-31, miR-122, and
miR-221 in HCC correlated with cirrhosis, while miR-21 and miR-221 associated
with tumor stage and poor prognosis. In ICC tissues, miR-21, miR-31, and
miR-223 were found to be over-expressed, but no correlation with
clinicopathological features was found.
