Aberrant microRNA expression in endometrial carcinoma using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues

PLoS One. 2013 Dec 9;8(12):e81421. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081421. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the candidate miRNAs in the carcinogenesis of endometrial carcinoma, and to explore whether FFPE material would be suitable for miRNA profiling. We identified the differences between miRNA expression profiles using human miRNA microarray in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinomas (EECs) and normal endometria. Of those tested, miR-200a*, miR-200b*, miR-141, miR-182, and miR-205 were greatly enriched. The expressions of these five miRNAs were validated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). We then performed qRT-PCR miR expression profiling in 30 FFPE specimens (20 EECs, 10 normal endometria) and re-confirmed the results of differential expression between cancer and normal tissue. Following this, we tested whether the specific inhibition of overexpressed miRNAs would alter chemosensitivity. In the in vitro cell viability assay, anti-miR200b* showed a trend toward enhanced cytotoxicity slightly in cisplatin compared to the negative control (p = 0.07). This information provided the candidate miRNAs for further confirmation of the role of miRNAs in the carcinogenesis of EECs, potentially serving as a diagnostic or therapeutic tool. FFPE specimens of endometrial tissues are suitable as a source for miRNA microarray profiling.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carcinogenesis / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Endometrioid / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Endometrioid / metabolism
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Female
  • Formaldehyde
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics*
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Microarray Analysis
  • Paraffin Embedding
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Statistics, Nonparametric

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • MicroRNAs
  • Formaldehyde

Grants and funding

The research was supported by grant number (04-2009-0740) from the SNUH Research Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.