The Significance of miR-34a Expression in Endometrial Carcinogenesis: Correlation With Expression of p16 and Ki-67 Proteins in Endometrial Cancers.
10.15430/JCP.2015.20.4.268
- Author:
Yoon Sung CHOI
1
;
Kyung Eun LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan, Korea. kelee@cup.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
miR-34a;
p16;
Ki-67;
Simple endometrial hyperplasia;
Endometrial cancer
- MeSH:
Carcinogenesis*;
Cell Cycle;
Cell Proliferation;
Endometrial Hyperplasia;
Endometrial Neoplasms*;
Female;
Humans;
Immunohistochemistry;
Korea;
MicroRNAs;
Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Journal of Cancer Prevention
2015;20(4):268-274
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: A microRNA, miR-34a, plays a key role in inhibiting cellular transformation and carcinogenesis by controlling cell cycle regulation and cell proliferation in various human tumors. However, miR-34a has rarely been reported in endometrial cancer research in Korea. This study was undertaken to analyze miR-34a expression in simple endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer, and to evaluate the relationship between expression of miR-34a and p16 and Ki-67 proteins in endometrial cancers. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 66 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues with simple endometrial hyperplasia (31 cases) and endometrial cancer (35 cases) patients. These were analyzed for miR-34a expression by quantitative real-time PCR , and the expression of p16 and Ki-67 proteins in endometrial cancers was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The miR-34a expression level was lower in endometrial cancer tissues (??.71 +/- 3.90) than in simple endometrial hyperplasia tissues (2.68 +/- 8.62). The endometrial hyperplasia tissues showed underexpression of miR-34a in 13 of the 31 cases (41.9%) while the endometrial cancer tissues showed underexpression of miR-34a in 24 of 35 cases (68.6%). Thus, miR-34a was significantly underexpressed in endometrial cancer tissues when compared endometrial hyperplasia tissues (P = 0.046). Overexpression of p16 was detected in 25 (71.4%) and Ki-67 immunoreactivity was detected in 27 (77.1%) of the 35 endometrial cancers. Although not statistically significant, the frequency of p16 and Ki-67 overexpression tended to be lower in the cases with miR-34a underexpression than in cases with miR-34a overexpression. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that underexpression of miR-34a might be involved in endometrial carcinogenesis. Further studies are needed to define the relationship between miR-34a expression and tissue specific protein expression.
