Identification of differentially expressed miRNAs in early-stage cervical cancer with lymph node metastasis across The Cancer Genome Atlas datasets

• Main Authors: Chen Q, Zeng X, Huang D, Qiu X
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2018-11-01
• Series: Cancer Management and Research
• Subjects: Lymph Nodes; MicroRNAs; Prognosis; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/identification-of-differentially-expressed-mirnas-in-early-stage-cervi-peer-reviewed-article-CMAR

Qian Chen,1 Xiaoyun Zeng,2 Dongping Huang,2 Xiaoqiang Qiu2 1Department of Research, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; 2Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China Background and aim: Previous studies have suggested that lymph node metastasis (LNM) in early-stage cervical cancer (CESC) may affect the prognosis of patients and the outcomes of subsequent adjuvant therapy. However, research focused on miRNA expression in early-stage CESC patients with LNM remains limited. Therefore, it is necessary to identify prognostic miRNAs and determine their molecular mechanisms.Methods: We evaluated the differentially expressed genes in early-stage CESC patients with LNM compared to patients without LNM and evaluated the prognostic significance of these differentially expressed genes by analyzing a public dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Potential molecular mechanisms were investigated by gene ontology, the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and protein–protein interaction network analyses.Results: According to the The Cancer Genome Atlas data, hsa-miR-508, hsa-miR-509-2, and hsa-miR-526b expression levels were significantly lower in early-stage CESC patients with LNM than in patients without LNM. A multivariate analysis suggested that three miRNAs were prognostic factors for CESC (P<0.05). The target genes were identified to be involved in the MAPK, cAMP, PI3K/Akt, mTOR, and estrogen cancer signaling pathways. Protein–protein interaction network analysis showed that TP53, MMP1, NOTCH1, SMAD4, and NFKB1 were the most significant hub proteins.Conclusion: Our results indicate that hsa-miR-508, hsa-miR-509-2, and hsa-miR-526b may be potential diagnostic biomarkers for early-stage CESC with LNM, and serve as prognostic predictors for patients with CESC. Keywords: lymph nodes, miRNAs, prognosis, uterine cervical neoplasms