B5
MicroRNA expression and profiling of bladder cancer
Saiful Miah, Helen Owen, Stephane Larre, Ewa Dudziec, Ishtiaq Rehman, Freddie Hamdy, James Catto
Institute of Cancer Studies - University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
Background
MicroRNAs (MiRs) are single stranded non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. Altered MiR expression is common in cancer and is associated with oncogene activation and tumour suppressor gene silencing. Little is known about MiR expression in bladder cancer (BC), the UK’s fourth most common male cancer. Here we evaluate MiR expression profiles in BC and investigate their translational role.
Method
We studied 65 normal and malignant urothelial samples, 3 BC cell lines and 60 urine samples (including 20 from patients with BC). Tumours were selected to represent the BC disease spectrum. From each specimen, whole RNA was extracted and analysed for 368 human MiRs using Taqman low density arrays. MiRs found to discriminate benign and malignant cells were then individually measured in cellular pellets obtained from freshly voided urinary samples using QrtPCR.
Results
In total, 19 and 22 MiRs had significantly reduced and increased expression (>10 fold difference, p<0.001 T test), respectively, when malignant and benign tissues were compared. Hierarchical clustering using MiR expression segregated tumours, cell lines and normal tissues according to their clinicopathological phenotype. MiRs could be detected at high concentrations within freshly voided urine and successfully diagnosed bladder cancer in many cases.
Conclusion
Our data reveal that differential MiR expression is common in BC when compared to normal urothelium. MiRs can be detected in urine from patients with BC and could be used as a non-invasive diagnostic test.
