microRNA-144 functions as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for retinoblastoma

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Retinoblastoma (RB) is a highly malignant eye tumor with a low survival rate and a high metastatic rate. The current work was designed to investigate the potential roles of microRNA-144 (miR-144) in the diagnosis and prognosis of RB. METHODS: miR-144 expression levels in RB tissues and adjacent normal tissues, as well as serum samples from RB patients and healthy controls were measured. The association between miR-144 expression levels and clinical features were analyzed. Moreover, diagnostic and prognostic values of miR-144 in RB were verified by receiver operating characteristic analysis and Kaplan-Meier survival assays. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-144 was markedly decreased in tumor tissues of RB patients, and the expression level of miR-144 was positively associated with tumor size and metastasis in RB patients. Moreover, miR-144 can distinguish tumor tissues from normal tissues with high specificity and sensitivity, and RB patients with lower miR-144 expression have shorter overall and disease-free survival rates than those with higher miR-144 expression. Alternatively, miR-144 also decreased in the serum of RB patients in comparison with healthy subjects, and miR-144 expression levels in the tissue samples and serum were positively correlated. Furthermore, miR-144 levels in the serum of RB patients sensitively distinguished RB patients from healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: miR-144 expression was downregulated in serum and tissue samples of RB patients and may function as a diagnostic and prognostic marker for RB.

Role of non-coding RNAs and exosomal non-coding RNAs in retinoblastoma progression

“…The antiproliferative effects of miR-101-3p in WERI-RB-1 and Y79 cells were abrogated by the restoration of EZH2 or HDAC9 expression. These findings underline the importance of miR-101-3p in the growth of RB tumors, and suggest a potential new therapeutic target (Zheng et al, 2020).…”

Applications of Non-Coding RNAs in Patients With Retinoblastoma

“…Pathway analysis of these miRNAs revealed hormonal functions, including functions related to estrogen, thyroid signaling pathways, and testosterone biosynthesis. Similarly, reduced expression levels of miR-144 were demonstrated in both tissue and serum samples from patients with RB, and these levels were positively correlated with each other and associated with tumor size, metastasis development, and lower OS ( p = 0.0065) and DFS ( p = 0.0331) ( Zheng et al, 2020 ).…”

Neuroprotective Effects of Tetrahydroxystilbene Glucoside against Rotenone-Induced Toxicity in PC12 Cells

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