Dysregulated microRNAs in Laryngeal Cancer: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis using a Robust Rank Aggregation Approach

Abstract

We need a reasonable method of compiling data from different studies regarding the expression of microRNA (miRNA) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The robust rank aggregation method was used to integrate the rank lists of miRNAs from 11 studies. The enrichment analysis was performed on target genes of meta-signature miRNAs. The Cancer Genome Atlas database was used to confirm the results of meta-analysis. Three meta-signature miRNAs (miR-21-5p, miR-196a-5p and miR-145-5p) were obtained. All three miRNAs could be prognostic for LSCC. The enrichment analysis showed that these miRNAs were associated significantly with multiple cancer-related signaling pathways. The robust rank aggregation approach is an effective way to identify important miRNAs from different studies. All identified miRNAs could be candidates for LSCC diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

Keywords::

• gene oncology
• laryngeal squamous cell cancer
• miRNA
• prognosis
• robust rank aggregation

Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paperplease visit the journal website at: www.tandfonline.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fon-2020-0394

Author contributions

Z Cao and S Zhou designed and wrote the paper; Z Cao and Y Guo collected the related studies; Z Cao and Y Ao analyzed the datasets and made the figures and tables.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all members of the otolaryngology department for their kind support.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no 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. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations.

Data sharing statement

The authors certify that this manuscript reports the secondary analysis of clinical trial data that have been shared with them and that the use of these shared data is in accordance with the terms (if any) agreed on upon their receipt. The sources of data include the TCGA database, GSE70289, GSE70289, GSE47610, GSE62819 and GSE124679.