Circulating plasma miR222‐3P status and its potential diagnostic performance in prostate cancer

• Published in: The journal of gene medicine 2022-12, Vol.24 (12), p.e3459-n/a
• Main Authors: Heydari, Zohreh, Moudi, Emadoddin, Sadeghi, Farzin, Hajiahmadi, Mahmoud, Rezatabar, Setareh, Neamati, Nahid, Parsian, Hadi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: diagnostic performance; Gene therapy; Humans; Hyperplasia; Male; MicroRNAs - genetics; miR222‐3p; Plasma; Prostate cancer; Prostatic Neoplasms - diagnosis; Prostatic Neoplasms - genetics; Reverse transcription
• ISSN: 1099-498X; 1521-2254
• DOI: 10.1002/jgm.3459

Background Although studies suggest that miR222‐3p is dysregulated in prostate cancer (PC) cells and tissues, the possible changes in the level of miR222‐3p in the plasma samples of PC patients remained unclear. The present study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of the plasma miR222‐3p expression level as a potential biomarker in PC, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and healthy people. Methods Blood samples were collected from 100 adult males (54 patients with PC, 27 patients with BPH and 19 healthy individuals) referred to our affiliated hospital. The expression level of miR222‐3p was evaluated using a quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate miR222‐3p diagnostic accuracy for discriminating between the PC, BPH and healthy individuals. Results The expression level of miR222‐3p was significantly higher in PC patients compared to healthy individuals as a fold change of 5.3 (p = 0.009), but not for BPH individuals. The diagnostic value of the plasma miR222‐3p for discrimination of the PC patients from healthy individuals was reasonable [cut‐off value (fold change relative to miR16‐5p) = 1.69, area under the curve = 0.73, sensitivity = 0.75 and specificity = 0.74]. Conclusions Circulating plasma miR‐222‐3p significantly upregulated in PC patients, but not in BPH ones. Besides these preliminary results showed that miR222‐3p has the potential to discriminate PC patients from healthy ones. Addittional studies with a larger sample size are required to confirm these data. Although studies suggest that miR222‐3p is dysregulated in prostate cancer (PC) cells and tissues, the possible changes in the level of miR222‐3p in the plasma samples of PC patients remain unclear. The plasma level of miR222‐3P was analyzed using a quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction in 54 men newly diagnosed with PC in comparison to 27 patients with prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 19 healthy individuals. The results indicated that the miR222‐3P expression level was significantly higher in PC patients compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.009), although no significant difference was found with the BPH group. miR222‐3p with a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 74% appears to have a reasonable diagnostic accuracy.