Background. MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that perform important functions in regulating gene expression. Numerous data show that abnormal expression of microRNAs is observed in people with various oncopathologies. Platelet-derived microvesicles (PMVs) have been shown to carry microRNAs targeting oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. MicroRNA-27 plays an important role in oncogenesis, proliferation, tumor cell metabolism, and chemotherapy resistance and also regulates the tumor immune response and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. In this study, we examined the expression levels of miRNA-27 in PMVs from breast cancer (BC), lung cancer (LC), and kidney cancer (KC) patients before and after surgery.
Methodology. A total of 30 patients, 10 with breast cancer, 10 with lung cancer, and 10 with kidney cancer, and 10 clinically healthy individuals were involved in this study. All of the patients were subject to radical surgical treatment. PMVs were isolated from washed thrombin-stimulated platelets through sequential centrifugation. mRNA was extracted using the phenol–chloroform method. Synthesis of complementary DNA (cDNA) and the PCR analysis were performed using the miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR Starter Kit (Qiagen).
Results. The results indicated that the PMVs from all of the patients with various oncopathologies exhibited significantly reduced expression of microRNA-27 in comparison to that in the healthy donors. Namely, in BC, the median expression level of microRNA-27 was 6.4 times lower; in LC, it was 2.5 times lower; and in KC, it was 4.6 times lower. Post-surgery, the expression of microRNA-27 in the patients with BC and LC did not differ from the control values; however, in KC, it was drastically reduced by 3.5 times.
Conclusion(s). Consequently, our data suggest that platelet miRNA-27 may act as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for BC, LC, and KC; however, additional research with a larger sample size is required.
This work was supported by grant B23-RSF162 and grant 23-45-10039.
