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Updated: Aug 26, 2025
An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells
Published on: May 21, 2019
Expression Patterns of microRNAs and Associated Target Genes in Ulcerated Primary Cutaneous Melanoma
Mallory J DiVincenzo1, Emily Schwarz2, Casey Ren2
1The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Abstract:
Ulcerated cutaneous melanoma carries a poor prognosis, and the underlying biology driving its aggressive behavior is largely unexplored. MicroRNAs (miRs) are small, noncoding RNAs that inhibit the expression of specific genes and exhibit dysregulated expression patterns in cancer. We hypothesized that a unique miR profile exists in ulcerated relative to nonulcerated melanoma and that miR expression inversely correlates with target genes of biologic importance. Expression of miRs and mRNAs was assessed in ulcerated and nonulcerated cutaneous melanomas using the NanoString Human miRNA and Tumor Signaling 360 mRNA assays and validated in an independent cohort. Pathway enrichment and functional annotations for differentially expressed miRs and mRNAs were determined using publicly available databases. Pearson correlations were employed to predict potential miR‒mRNA binding pairs. Ulcerated melanoma tissue showed at least 1.5-fold change in relative expression of 24 miRs, including miR-206, miR-1-3p, and miR-4286 (>2.25-fold decrease, P < 0.048) and miR-146a-5p, miR-196b-5p, and miR-363-3p (>2.5-fold increase, P < 0.014). Ulcerated melanomas also had 21 differentially expressed mRNAs relative to nonulcerated tumors (P < 0.01), among which two had an inverse correlation in expression with regulatory miRs (SOCS3 and miR-218-5p and IL7R and miR-376c-5p). This miR expression profile adds to the molecular characterization of the poorly understood histopathologic phenotype of ulcerated melanoma.
Insights
Ulcerated melanoma, a severe skin cancer, shows distinct microRNA (miR) expression patterns. Researchers identified specific miRs and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) linked to this aggressive tumor subtype, offering new molecular insights.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Ulcerated cutaneous melanoma is associated with poor prognosis.
- The molecular mechanisms driving melanoma ulceration are poorly understood.
- MicroRNAs (miRs) are key regulators of gene expression implicated in cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unique microRNA (miR) expression profile in ulcerated versus nonulcerated cutaneous melanoma.
- To identify potential inverse correlations between miR expression and their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs).
Main Methods:
- Expression profiling of miRs and mRNAs in ulcerated and nonulcerated melanoma tissues using NanoString assays.
- Validation in an independent patient cohort.
- Bioinformatic analysis for pathway enrichment, functional annotation, and miR-mRNA correlation.
Main Results:
- A distinct set of 24 miRs showed differential expression in ulcerated melanoma.
- Significant downregulation of miR-206, miR-1-3p, and miR-4286 was observed.
- Upregulation of miR-146a-5p, miR-196b-5p, and miR-363-3p was noted.
- 21 differentially expressed mRNAs were identified, with two showing inverse correlation with regulatory miRs (SOCS3/miR-218-5p and IL7R/miR-376c-5p).
Conclusions:
- The study identified a specific microRNA (miR) expression signature associated with ulcerated cutaneous melanoma.
- These findings contribute to the molecular characterization of this aggressive tumor phenotype.
- The identified miR-mRNA interactions may offer novel therapeutic targets for melanoma.
