OBJECTIVETo explore the expression level of microRNA-26a and its target gene CDK6 in extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) and their possible role in genesis and development of ENKTCL.

METHODSReal time fluorescent quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-26a in tissue of 15 patients with ENKTCL and 10 samples of normal NK cells. Maxvision immunohistochemistry technique was used to detect the expression level of CDK6 and miR-26a in tissue of 20 ENKTCL cases, 10 cases of proliferative lymphadenitis and 10 samples of normal lymph node, respectively. The possible role of miR-26a and its target gene CDK6 in genesis and development of ENKTCL were analyzed according to the clinical features of ENKTCL patients.

RESULTSThe expression of miR-26a was significantly lower in ENKTCL than that in normal NK cells. The expression of CDK6 was significantly higher in ENKTCL group than that in group proliferative lymphadenitis and normal lymph node. Correlation analysis showed that there was significant negative correlation between miR-26a expression and CDK6 expression (r = -0.54, P = 0.04). Meanwhile, there were no correlation of miR-26a expression with age, sex, Ann Arbor stage, LDH level, B symptoms and IPI. Although, there were no correlation of CDK6 expression with age, sex, LDH level and B symptoms, there were positive correlation of CDK6 expression with Ann Arbor stage and IPI.

CONCLUSIONthat abnormal expression of miR-26a may participate in genesis and development of ENKTCL through regulating the expression of its target gene CDK6.