Circulating microRNA-944 and its target gene EPHA7 as a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have critical roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis and development. It has been reported that Eph receptor A7 (EphA7) was a potential target of miR-944 which is transcriptionally activated in cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the expression profile of miR-944 and its target gene EPHA7 in the serum of Egyptian CRC patients. 150 CRC patients, 50 adenomatous polyps (AP) patients, and 100 healthy controls were included. Serum miR-944 was downregulated (0.304 ± 0.0512) while serum EPHA7 was upregulated (3.163 ± 0.610) in CRC and AP patients versus controls and discriminated aganst these groups by Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. miR-944 presented the highest diagnostic accuracy for CRC patients from control (AUC = 0.90). Moreover obvious prognostic power in distinguishing AP from CRC (AUC = 0.87). In conclusion, miR-944 and EPHA7 are potential genetic markers of CRC predisposition and novel potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for CRC.

Keywords:

• miR-944
• EPHA7-CRC

Author contributions

Olfat G. Shaker and Amr M. Abdelhamid conceived and designed the research. Amr M. Abdelhamid and Ghada Ayeldeen conducted experiments and analysed data. Amr M. Abdelhamid wrote the manuscript with support from Olfat G. Shaker. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

The authors declare that there are no sources of funding to be acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no competing interests.