Potential Values of Circulating microRNA-21 to Predict Early Recurrence in Patients with Colorectal Cancer after Treatments

Abstract

Insufficient prognosis of local recurrence contributes to the poor progression-free survival rate and death in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Various biomarkers have been explored in predicting CRC recurrence. This study investigated the expressions of plasma/exosomal microRNA-21 (miR-21) in 113 CRC patients by qPCR, their values of predicting CRC recurrence, and the possibility to improve the prognostic efficacy in early CRC recurrence in stratified patients by combined biomarkers including circulating miR-21s, circulating tumour cells/microemboli (CTCs/CTM), and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)/carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). Expressions of plasma and exosomal miR-21s were significantly correlated (p < 0.0001) in all and late-stage patients, presenting similar correlations with other biomarkers. However, stage IV patients stratified by a high level of exosomal miR-21 and stage I to III patients stratified by a high level of plasma miR-21 displayed significantly worse survival outcomes in predicting CRC recurrence, suggesting their different values to predict CRC recurrence in stratified patients. Comparable and even better performances in predicting CRC recurrence in late-stage patients were found by CTCs/CTM from our blood samples as sensitive biomarkers. Improved prognosing efficacy in CRC recurrence and better outcomes to significantly differentiate recurrence in stratified patients could be obtained by analysing combined biomarkers.

Highly Effective Detection of Exosomal miRNAs in Plasma Using Liposome-Mediated Transfection CRISPR/Cas13a

“…7,8 Besides, RNAs encapsulated inside exosomes are highly stable even in the presence of RNase. 9,10 Therefore, exosomal miRNAs are considered as more promising non-invasive biomarkers to detect and monitor diseases. 11 Exosomal miRNAs are commonly quantified by traditional methods, such as real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).…”

“…Exosomes, small extracellular vesicles (EV) with diameters of 40–150 nm, are released by a large variety of cells into biofluids. , They carry various functional biomolecules from their parental cells, including proteins, microRNAs (miRNAs), mRNAs, and DNAs, which could reflect the physiological condition of the original host cell because their cargos often vary under various pathological conditions. − Among various cargos, the aberrant miRNA expression is closely associated with multiple diseases, including cancer. , Besides, RNAs encapsulated inside exosomes are highly stable even in the presence of RNase. , Therefore, exosomal miRNAs are considered as more promising non-invasive biomarkers to detect and monitor diseases …”

Circulating exosomal microRNAs as potential prognostic biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…2021[ 64 ] China 2017–2018 let-7e miR-18a miR-27b miR-221 miR-20b miR-652 HCC RT-qPCR UC plasma 40 68 13/7 NA OS, DFS OS: R-Uni DFS: R-Uni 80 NA NA NA poor Hao Y. J. 2022 [ 65 ] Taiwan 2019–2020 miR-21 CRC qRT-PCR Exosome isolation kit plasma 113 65 77/36 I—IV DFS, PFS E NA NA NA NA poor Down-regulation a Soeda N 2019 [ 35 ] Japan 2006–2015 miR-92a GC qRT-PCR UC plasma 129 68 90/39 II—III OS, RFS OS: R-Multi/ R-Uni RFS: E 40.8 60.7 63.0 NA good Yan S. 2017 [ 66 ] China 2008–2014 miR-638 CRC …”

Non‐coding RNAs in cancer immunotherapy: Predictive biomarkers and targets

“…A recent study screened 113 plasma samples from CRC patients to demonstrate predictive biomarkers for CRC recurrence using qPCR and revealed that expression of Exos-miR-21 significantly predicted CRC recurrence. 90 Importantly, low expression of Exos-miR-21 in DC vaccines against infections such as visceral leishmaniasis predicted the induction of adaptive immune responses by enhancing the release of interleukin-12 (IL-12) by APCs. 91 These findings suggest that Exos-miR-21 levels in the plasma of CRC patients treated with DC vaccines can predict response rates and tumour recurrence.…”

“…Furthermore, microarray analysis of tumour tissues obtained from CRC patients treated with a peptide vaccine and chemotherapy presented that both miR‐125b‐1 and miR‐378a were significantly associated with low OS, 89 highlighting their potentials as predicative biomarkers. A recent study screened 113 plasma samples from CRC patients to demonstrate predictive biomarkers for CRC recurrence using qPCR and revealed that expression of Exos‐miR‐21 significantly predicted CRC recurrence 90 . Importantly, low expression of Exos‐miR‐21 in DC vaccines against infections such as visceral leishmaniasis predicted the induction of adaptive immune responses by enhancing the release of interleukin‐12 (IL‐12) by APCs 91 .…”