MicroRNA-193a-3p as a Valuable Biomarker for Discriminating between Colorectal Cancer and Colorectal Adenoma Patients

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Molecular Biology
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Specific biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursor, colorectal adenoma (pre-CRC), are currently lacking.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their potential as diagnostic and prognostic markers in various cancers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the potential of four specific miRNAs (miR-19a-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-193a-3p, and miR-210-3p) as biomarkers for CRC in both tissues and exosomes.
• To compare the diagnostic efficacy of these miRNAs against established biomarkers, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9).

Main Methods:

• MiRNA expression levels were analyzed using RT-qPCR in tissue samples from 52 CRC patients and 76 pre-CRC patients.
• Diagnostic values of miRNAs, CEA, and CA 19-9 were evaluated using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curve (AUC).
• A logistic regression model was developed combining CEA concentration and miR-193a-3p tissue expression levels.

Main Results:

• miR-193a-3p demonstrated a statistically significant difference in expression between pre-CRC and CRC tissues (p < 0.0001).
• Significant differences in miRNA expression were observed between CRC tissues and exosomes for miR-193a-3p, miR-19a-3p, miR-92a-3p, and miR-210-3p.
• miR-193a-3p exhibited a notable diagnostic value (AUC = 0.725), while CEA (AUC = 0.798) and CA 19-9 (AUC = 0.668) also showed good diagnostic capabilities.
• A combined model of CEA and miR-193a-3p tissue expression achieved an AUC of 0.823 for distinguishing CRC from pre-CRC.

Conclusions:

• Tissue-derived miR-193a-3p emerges as a promising potential biomarker for colorectal cancer.
• The combination of miR-193a-3p tissue expression and CEA levels offers an improved diagnostic approach for differentiating CRC from pre-CRC.