miRNA Profile and Bioinformatic Analysis for Diagnosis in Patients with Stage IIIA Colon Cancer.

Early diagnosis is a critical factor in deciding the outcome of colon cancer, as is the case with other types of cancers. Recent scientific developments have enabled the use of biomarkers for diagnosis and for designing treatment strategies for various cancer types. Further, identification of potential targets of these biomarkers will facilitate a better understanding of molecular processes. The aim of this study is to analyze microRNA expression profile, and through bioinformatic analyses determine the cellular processes of potential target genes and understand their molecular mechanism in stage IIIA colon cancer patients. The microRNA expression profiles of both normal and tumor tissues of seven patients were analyzed using the Affymetrix microarray system. The target genes were identified by performing a KEGG pathway analysis on eight miRNAs (hsa-miR-362-3p, hsa-miR-34c-5p, hsa-miR-34c-3p, hsa-miR-34a-3p, hsa-miR-19b-1-3p, hsa-miR-371a-5p, hsa-miR-941 ad hsa-miR-7-5p), which were selected through an array scan by using DIANA-miRPath v.3 bioinformatic analysis tool. Biological pathway and cellular component analyses were performed on 30 genes targeted by miRNAs using FunRich Gene Enrichment tool. These analyses indicated that the genes targeted by these eight miRNAs played a role in either cell communication (53%), signal transduction (60%) or apoptosis (20%) in stage IIIA colon cancer. Taken together, these data suggest that these miRNAs can be used as biomarkers in Stage IIIA colon cancer.

Novel miRNAs as potential biomarkers in stage II colon cancer: microarray analysis.

The aim of this study was to determine oncogenic and tumor-suppressing miRNA profiles associated with the development and progression of cancer using tumor tissues from patients with colorectal cancer (stage II) that did not show nodal spread or advanced metastasis to identify potential biomarkers. A microarray system (GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array chip, Affymetrix) was used to determine the microRNA profiles of five patients with stage II colon cancer based on normal and colon tumor tissues. Of 32 identified miRNAs, an increase in three microRNAs (hsa-miR-4745-5p, hsa-miR-6126, and hsa-miR-1469) was observed in tumor tissues relative to that in control tissues. Additionally, this study demonstrated for the first time that the expression of the 8 miRNAs (hsa-miR-378i, hsa-miR-378a-3p, hsa-miR-378c, hsa-miR-378d, hsa-miR-378e, hsa-miR-378f, hsa-miR-378a-5p, and hsa-miR-378g) from miR-378 members among the differentially expressed miRNAs is reduced. The target genes of these downregulated miRNAs were determined by using DIANA miRPath v3. The effect of identified genes on colon cancer stage II was determined the biological process and biological pathway using Funrich Gene Enrichment. It was revealed that these miRNAs were affected the signaling pathways which control cell proliferation, cell-cell interaction, and apoptosis in stage II colon cancer. In patients with early stage II colon cancer, miR-378 can be used as a biomarker of colorectal cancer. Thus, miR-378 can facilitate treatment with early diagnosis.