Expression of lncRNA-ATB and miR-200c in patients with bladder cancer: a pilot study

Bladder cancer is prevalent worldwide; however, the detailed mechanisms underlying its initiation and progression remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of long noncoding RNA activated by transforming growth factor-β (lncRNA-ATB) and microRNA-200c (miR-200c) in tumor tissues of patients with bladder cancer and to explore their association with clinicopathologic features.

The study cohort consisted of 50 patients diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues were obtained during transurethral resection of bladder tumor. The relative expression levels of lncRNA-ATB and miR-200c were determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.

LncRNA-ATB expression was substantially higher in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Conversely, miR-200c was upregulated in tumor tissues but showed lower expression in high-grade tumors compared with low-grade tumors. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that lncRNA-ATB (72% sensitivity, 68% specificity) and miR-200c (68% sensitivity, 64% specificity) could distinguish tumor from normal tissues.

This study is the first to concurrently evaluate lncRNA-ATB and miR-200c expression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Even in early-stage bladder cancer, alterations in the lncATB/miR-200c axis appear to be associated with tumor grade and may potentially serve as an indicator of metastatic potential.