Forms of Diagnostic Material As Sources of Mirna Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Aim: To assess the diagnostic value of selected miRNAs from various material collected from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Patients & methods: Tissue, serum, urine and fecal samples from HCC patients and healthy individuals were screened for associated miRNAs using microarray analysis; the selected miRNAs were then validated by real time-quantitative PCR on 65 patients. Results: Serum miR-122, a combination of serum miR-155 with miR-885-5p, a combination of urinary miR-532-3p with miR-765, and fecal miR-320a displayed 100% efficiency in discriminating patients from controls. A combination of urinary miR-532-3p and miR-765 allowed patients with neoplastic grade G3 to be distinguished from those with G1 and G2. Conclusion: Additionally to serum, urine and feces also appeared to be valuable source of potential HCC noninvasive miRNA biomarkers.

Keywords:

• diagnosis
• feces
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• miRNA
• miR-320a
• miR-532-3p
• miR-765
• noninvasive biomarkers
• serum
• urine

Author contributions

WZ Świtlik and A Bielecka-Kowalska prepared the manuscript, analyzed the results and carried out the experiments. MS Karbownik performed the statistical analysis and helped with manuscript preparation. R Kordek conceived the study, supervised the project and revised the final manuscript. M Jabłkowski was responsible for the study design, sample collection and preparation, helped with manuscript preparation. J Szemraj carried out the experiments, conceived and designed the study, supervised the project and revised the final manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by the National Science Center (grant number UMO-2012/05/B/NZ5/01852) and research project grant from the Medical University of Lodz (grant number 502-64-107). 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.

Ethical conduct of research

The collection of tumor tissues, adjacent normal liver tissues, blood, urine and feces was performed in accordance with the protocols approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Medical University of Lodz. The authors state that this study was performed in accordance with the protocols approved by the Committee of Bioethics of the Medical University of Lodz (RNN/228/11/KE). Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Center (grant number UMO-2012/05/B/NZ5/01852) and research project grant from the Medical University of Lodz (grant number 502-64-107). 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.