Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

MicroRNA Detection in Prostate Tumors by Quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR)
08:30

MicroRNA Detection in Prostate Tumors by Quantitative Real-time PCR (qPCR)

Published on: May 16, 2012

The microRNA-processing enzymes: Drosha and Dicer can predict prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Xiaofang Guo1, Qianjin Liao, Pan Chen

  • 1Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, 110 Xiang-Ya Road, Changsha, 410078, Hunan, People's Republic of China.

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
|September 29, 2011
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Low levels of Drosha and Dicer enzymes, crucial for microRNA (miRNA) generation, are linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This suggests Drosha and Dicer expression may serve as prognostic biomarkers for NPC patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • MicroRNA (miRNA) metabolism is dysregulated in various human cancers.
  • Enzyme expression patterns in miRNA generation are underexplored in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression profiles of Drosha and Dicer in NPC.
  • To determine the correlation between Drosha and Dicer expression and NPC patient survival.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for mRNA levels in NPC tissues and cell lines.
  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on a tissue microarray (TMA) for protein levels in 251 NPC and 105 normal nasopharyngeal epithelium (NPE) cases.
  • Kaplan-Meier analysis for survival data of 146 NPC patients.

Main Results:

  • Dicer and Drosha mRNA levels were significantly down-regulated in NPC tissues and cell lines compared to controls.
  • Low Dicer and Drosha protein expression was frequently observed in NPC.
  • Reduced Dicer and Drosha protein levels correlated significantly with shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).

Conclusions:

  • Drosha and Dicer expression is dysregulated in NPC compared to healthy controls.
  • Expression levels of Drosha and Dicer are significantly associated with poorer PFS and OS in NPC patients.
  • Drosha and Dicer may serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for NPC.

More Related Videos

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method09:06

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues11:29

miRNA Expression Analyses in Prostate Cancer Clinical Tissues

Published on: September 8, 2015

Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...
Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...