Serum patterns of mir-23a and mir-181b in irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer - A pilot study

Alexandra Chira; Mihai-Stefan Muresan; Cornelia Braicu; Liviuta Budisan; Lajos Raduly; Romeo Ioan Chira; Dan Lucian Dumitrascu; Ioana Berindan-Neagoe

doi:10.17305/bjbms.2019.4392

Authors

Alexandra Chira Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Medical Clinic, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9092-065X
Mihai-Stefan Muresan Institute of Urology and Kidney Transplant Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; The Oncology Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta", Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1689-9148
Cornelia Braicu Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3055-4747
Liviuta Budisan Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5725-662X
Lajos Raduly Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3926-5423
Romeo Ioan Chira Department of Internal Medicine, Division Gastroenterology, 1st Medical Clinic, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8400-5938
Dan Lucian Dumitrascu Department of Internal Medicine, 2nd Medical Clinic, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5404-7662
Ioana Berindan-Neagoe Research Center for Functional Genomics, Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; MEDFUTURE - Research Center for Advanced Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iuliu-Hatieganu, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Functional Genomics and Experimental Pathology, The Oncology Institute "Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuta", Cluj-Napoca, Romania https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5828-1325

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2019.4392

Keywords:

Biomarker, colorectal cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, microRNA, miRNA, miR-23a, miR-181b, inflammation

Abstract

Emerging evidence demonstrates that microRNAs (miRNAs) could serve as reliable biomarkers of inflammation and oncogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether miR-23a and miR-181b were suitable as biomarkers of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Forty patients with IBS (29 females, 11 males), 33 with CRC (14 females, 19 males), and 33 healthy controls (17 females, 16 males) were prospectively included. Serum levels of miRNAs were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR. The serum levels of miR-23a and miR-181b were significantly higher in the IBS group (p = 0.0009 and 0.004, respectively) and CRC group (p = 0.002 and 0.029, respectively) than in the control group. Serum levels of miR-23a and miR-181b were upregulated in CRC vs. IBS, but the differences did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.169 and 0.179, respectively). The miRNet and Reactome databases identified phosphatase and tensin homolog as a major common pathway, indicating inflammation as a central hallmark. Although miRNAs could serve as reliable biomarkers in clinical practice, future studies are needed to establish appropriate cut-off limits.