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Updated: Oct 25, 2025
Detection of a Circulating MicroRNA Custom Panel in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Published on: March 14, 2019
A systematic approach introduced novel targets in rectal cancer by considering miRNA/mRNA interactions in response
Solmaz Khalighfard1,2, Mohammad Reza Kalhori3, Taghi Amiriani4
1Radiation Oncology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
The discovery of miRNA/mRNA interactions in several biological samples prompted the researchers to explore new biomarkers in tumors.
Objective:
We aimed to investigate the interactions of miRNA/mRNA in response to radiotherapy in the plasma samples of rectal cancer patients.
Methods:
Five microarray datasets related to cancerous and non-cancerous individuals were first used to construct networks. The databases of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were applied to analyze pathway enrichment. The plasma samples were then collected from 55 patients with recently diagnosed rectal cancer and 10 healthy subjects. For radiotherapy courses, the patients have consecutively received 30 sessions of local radiation for six weeks. At last, the expression of selected genes and miRNAs was experimentally measured before and after radiotherapy by qPCR, and the protein levels of the target genes were measured by ELISA assay. We evaluated the therapeutic responses based on the tumor regression grade of the Dworak classification.
Results:
We identified 5 up-regulated and 5 down-regulated miRNAs and 8 up-regulated and 3 down-regulated genes of the databases. There was a significant increase in tumor suppressor miRNAs, including miR-101-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-26a-5p, miR-34a-5p, and a significant decrease in oncomiRs, including miR-221-3p and miR-17-5p, after radiotherapy compared to the pre-treatment. Moreover, the up-regulated miR-17-5p and miR-221-5p and the down-regulated miR-101-3p and miR-145-5p were directly related to rectal cancer through the interaction with the Wnt, RAS, PI3K, and TGF-β signaling pathways. An analysis of receiver operating characteristics showed that miRNAs 221, 17, and 23 were response-related in locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
Conclusions:
It seems that monitoring the miRNA/mRNA interactions during radiotherapy can be an appropriate diagnostic tool to track the recovery process and respond to standard therapies.
Insights
Monitoring microRNA/messenger RNA interactions in rectal cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy can help track recovery. Specific microRNAs (miRNAs) showed significant changes post-treatment, indicating their potential as biomarkers for therapeutic response.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- MicroRNA/messenger RNA (miRNA/mRNA) interactions are implicated in various biological processes.
- The potential of miRNA/mRNA interactions as tumor biomarkers is an active area of research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate miRNA/mRNA interactions in response to radiotherapy in plasma samples from rectal cancer patients.
- To identify potential biomarkers for monitoring therapeutic response in rectal cancer.
Main Methods:
- Utilized microarray datasets to construct miRNA/mRNA interaction networks.
- Performed pathway enrichment analysis using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases.
- Measured miRNA and gene expression levels by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and protein levels by ELISA before and after radiotherapy in 55 rectal cancer patients and 10 healthy controls.
Main Results:
- Identified significant changes in tumor suppressor miRNAs (e.g., miR-101-3p, miR-145-5p) and oncomiRs (e.g., miR-221-3p, miR-17-5p) post-radiotherapy.
- Established direct relationships between specific miRNAs (miR-17-5p, miR-221-5p, miR-101-3p, miR-145-5p) and rectal cancer via Wnt, RAS, PI3K, and TGF-β signaling pathways.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that miRNAs 221, 17, and 23 are response-related in locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
Conclusions:
- Monitoring miRNA/mRNA interactions during radiotherapy offers a potential diagnostic approach.
- These interactions can serve as tools to track patient recovery and response to standard therapies.
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