Abstract 5053: MicroRNA expression profile of astrocytoma according to its malignant potential in Puerto Rican brain tumor samples

Abstract

Astrocytoma, the tumor of astrocytic glial cells, is the most common type of central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms, accounting for more than 60% of all primary brain tumors. As histology-based classification is highly subjective, there is a need for more robust histology-independent molecular classifiers. Although different gene expression and genome-wide array-CGH expression profiles have been use for classification, these expression signatures are yet to be translated to utility in clinical settings suggesting that these studies require further characterization and validation. Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, short (19-24 nucleotides) non-protein-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Alterations in the expression profiles of many miRNAs have been described in numerous human tumors. Recent evident indicate that the grade types of astrocytoma could be better classified by using a micro miRNA expression profiles compared with histological or gene expression analysis. Thus, the aim of this project was to construct a miRNA expression profile of astrocytoma according to its malignant potential in Puerto Rican brain tumor samples. Archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples were used in this study. Not shown in previous literature, our preliminary results showed that miR-27b was more abundant in high grade vs. low grade astrocytoma. Although, miRNA profiling appears to be a very promising tool, nonetheless, further validation of these discriminatory miRNAs in a large number of patients and in independent studies is necessary before clinical application becomes realistic. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5053. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5053