Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Detection of a Circulating MicroRNA Custom Panel in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
08:12

Detection of a Circulating MicroRNA Custom Panel in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

Published on: March 14, 2019

6.1K

MicroRNA Expression in KRAS- and BRAF-mutated Colorectal Cancers

Ida V Lundberg1, Maria L Wikberg2, Ingrid Ljuslinder3

  • 1Department of Medical Biosciences, Pathology, Umeå University, Umea, Sweden ida.lundberg@umu.se.

Anticancer Research
|January 29, 2018
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Colorectal cancer (CRC) with KRAS or BRAF mutations may have distinct microRNA (miRNA) profiles. While BRAF-mutated tumors showed altered miR-31 and miR-373 levels compared to wild-type, no differences were found between KRAS- and BRAF-mutated groups.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Colorectal cancer (CRC) frequently exhibits mutations in KRAS and BRAF genes.
  • KRAS and BRAF mutations influence distinct clinical and histopathological features in CRC.
  • Investigating microRNA (miRNA) expression may elucidate these clinicopathological differences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if differential miRNA expression explains clinicopathological variations between KRAS- and BRAF-mutated CRCs.
  • To identify specific miRNA signatures associated with KRAS and BRAF mutations in CRC.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed expression of 84 miRNAs in CRC cell lines using PCR array.
  • Examined selected miRNAs (let-7a, let-7i, miR-10a, miR-10b, miR-31, miR-100, miR-181a, miR-181b, miR-372, miR-373) in tumor tissues.
  • Compared miRNA expression between wild-type, KRAS-mutated, and BRAF-mutated CRC samples.

Main Results:

  • BRAF-mutated tumors showed significantly higher miR-31 and lower miR-373 expression compared to wild-type tumors.
  • No significant differences in the analyzed miRNA expression levels were observed between KRAS-mutated and BRAF-mutated tumors.

Conclusions:

  • KRAS- and BRAF-mutated CRCs might possess distinct miRNA signatures compared to wild-type CRC.
  • The specific miRNAs analyzed in this study did not differentiate between KRAS- and BRAF-mutated tumors.
Keywords:
BRAFColorectal cancerKRASmiRNAmolecular subgroups

More Related Videos

A Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Sporadic Colorectal Cancer06:01

A Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Sporadic Colorectal Cancer

Published on: July 6, 2017

10.0K
Orthotopic Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer08:43

Orthotopic Mouse Model of Colorectal Cancer

Published on: December 4, 2007

47.3K

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...
24.3K
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...
4.1K
Mutations01:39

Mutations

Overview
94.7K
Mutations01:35

Mutations

Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
While point mutations are changes in a single nucleotide in...
44.7K
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell02:21

Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell

Cancer arises from mutations in the critical genes that allow healthy cells to escape cell cycle regulation and acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely. Though originating from a single mutation event in one of the originator cells, cancer progresses when the mutant cell lines continue to gain more and more mutations, and finally, become malignant. For example, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) develops initially as a non-lethal increase in white blood cells, which progressively...
15.0K
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
40.0K