miRNA Deregulation in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Despite remarkable improvements in survival of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), nonresponding or relapsing patients still represent one of the most frequent causes of death by disease in children. Accurate patient risk stratification based on genetic markers could increases survival rates. miRNAs can represent novel candidates with diagnostic, predictive and prognostic potential; however, many groups investigated their involvement with contradictory results. Aim: To clarify the role of miRNAs as biomarkers through a systematic review. Results: From a revision of 45 manuscripts, we found that miR-128 and miR-181 overexpression could represent markers for ALL diagnosis and underexpression of miR-708 and miR-99a could be markers for bad prognosis. Conclusion: These signatures could refine classification and risk stratification of patients and improve ALL outcome.

Keywords::

• childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• diagnosis
• miRNA
• prognosis
• signature
• subtype classification
• treatment response

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.comhttp://doi/suppl/10.2217/epi-2019-0154

Author contributions

AGO and AGC designed the study. AGO and IA acquired and administrated the funding. AGC and SGO performed the systematic search and acquired the data. AGC and ELL interpreted the results and drafted the article. All authors have read, reviewed critically and approved the final manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This study was funded by the Basque Government (IT989-16) and Inocente-Inocente Foundation. A Gutierrez-Camino was supported by a post-doctoral grant from the Basque Government. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Basque Government (IT989-16) and Inocente-Inocente Foundation. A Gutierrez-Camino was supported by a post-doctoral grant from the Basque Government. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.