MicroRNA-193a-3p as a Valuable Biomarker for Discriminating between Colorectal Cancer and Colorectal Adenoma Patients

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2024-08, Vol.25 (15), p.8156
• Main Authors: Fabijanec, Marija, Hulina-Tomašković, Andrea, Štefanović, Mario, Verbanac, Donatella, Ćelap, Ivana, Somborac-Bačura, Anita, Grdić Rajković, Marija, Demirović, Alma, Ramić, Snježana, Krušlin, Božo, Rumora, Lada, Čeri, Andrea, Koržinek, Martha, Petrik, József, Ljubičić, Neven, Baršić, Neven, Barišić, Karmela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenoma - diagnosis; Adenoma - genetics; Adenoma - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antigens; Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biopsy; CA-19-9 Antigen; Cancer patients; Carcinoembryonic Antigen - genetics; Carcinoembryonic Antigen - metabolism; Clinical medicine; Colonoscopy; Colorectal cancer; Colorectal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Colorectal Neoplasms - genetics; Colorectal Neoplasms - metabolism; Croatia; Development and progression; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease; Exosomes - genetics; Exosomes - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Germany; Health aspects; Humans; Hypoxia; Male; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; MicroRNA; MicroRNAs; MicroRNAs - genetics; Middle Aged; Mortality; ROC Curve; Taiwan; Tumors
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158156

Specific markers for colorectal cancer (CRC), preceded by colorectal adenoma (pre-CRC), are lacking. This study aimed to investigate whether microRNAs (miR-19a-3p, miR-92a-3p, miR-193a-3p, and miR-210-3p) from tissues and exosomes are potential CRC biomarkers and compare them to existing biomarkers, namely carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9. MiRNA was isolated in the samples of 52 CRC and 76 pre-CRC patients. Expression levels were analyzed by RT-qPCR. When comparing pre-CRC and CRC tissue expression levels, only miR-193a-3p showed statistically significant result ( < 0.0001). When comparing the tissues and exosomes of CRC samples, a statistically significant difference was found for miR-193a-3p ( < 0.0001), miR-19a-3p ( < 0.0001), miR-92a-3p ( = 0.0212), and miR-210-3p ( < 0.0001). A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the ROC curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of CEA, CA 19-9, and miRNAs. CEA and CA 19-9 had good diagnostic values (AUCs of 0.798 and 0.668). The diagnostic value only of miR-193a-3p was highlighted (AUC = 0.725). The final logistic regression model, in which we put a combination of CEA concentration and the miR-193a-3p expression level in tissues, showed that using these two markers can distinguish CRC and pre-CRC in 71.3% of cases (AUC = 0.823). MiR-193a-3p from tissues could be a potential CRC biomarker.