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Circulating miRNAs as Noninvasive Biomarkers for PDAC Diagnosis and Prognosis in Mexico
Lissuly Guadalupe Álvarez-Hilario1, Eric Genaro Salmerón-Bárcenas1, Pedro Antonio Ávila-López1
1Departamento de Biomedicina Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de Mexico C.P. 07360, Mexico.
Abstract:
Among malignant neoplasms, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has one of the highest fatality rates due to its late detection. Therefore, it is essential to discover a noninvasive, early, specific, and sensitive diagnostic method. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive biomarkers because they are accessible, highly specific, and sensitive. It is crucial to find miRNAs that could be used as possible biomarkers because PDAC is the eighth most common cause of cancer death in Mexico. With the help of microRNA microarrays, differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were found in PDAC tissues. The presence of these DEmiRNAs in the plasma of Mexican patients with PDAC was determined using RT-qPCR. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnostic capacity of these DEmiRNAs. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets (GEO) were employed to verify our results. The Prisma V8 statistical analysis program was used. Four DEmiRNAs in plasma from PDAC patients and microarray tissues were found. Serum samples from patients with PDAC were used to validate their overexpression in GEO databases. We discovered a new panel of the two miRNAs miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p that could be used to diagnose PDAC, and when miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p were overexpressed, survival rates decreased. Therefore, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p might be employed as noninvasive indicators for the diagnosis and survival of PDAC in Mexican patients.
Insights
New research identifies two microRNAs (miRNAs), miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p, as promising noninvasive biomarkers for early pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) diagnosis and survival prediction in Mexican patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a high fatality rate due to late detection.
- Noninvasive, sensitive, and specific diagnostic methods are crucial for improving PDAC outcomes.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) show potential as accessible and reliable biomarkers for cancer detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and validate microRNAs as noninvasive biomarkers for early diagnosis of PDAC in Mexican patients.
- To assess the diagnostic capacity of identified microRNAs using plasma samples.
- To correlate miRNA expression levels with patient survival rates.
Main Methods:
- MicroRNA microarrays were used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in PDAC tissues.
- RT-qPCR was employed to detect DEmiRNAs in plasma from Mexican PDAC patients.
- Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets were used for validation and diagnostic capacity assessment.
Main Results:
- Four DEmiRNAs were identified in PDAC tissues and plasma.
- A panel of two miRNAs, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p, was found to be overexpressed in PDAC patients.
- Overexpression of miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p correlated with decreased survival rates in PDAC patients.
Conclusions:
- The miRNA panel, miR-222-3p and miR-221-3p, shows potential as a noninvasive diagnostic indicator for PDAC in Mexican patients.
- These miRNAs may also serve as prognostic indicators for PDAC survival.
- Further validation is warranted to implement these miRNAs in clinical practice for PDAC management.
