Altered miRNA Expression is Associated with Differentiation, Invasion, and Metastasis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC) in Patients from Huaian, China

• DOI: 10.1007/s12013-013-9554-3
• Publication Date: 2013-03-20T08:28:43Z
• Authors: Hai Long Fu; De Ping Wu; Xiu Fang Wang; Jian Guo Wang; Feng Jiao; Lei Lei Song; Hui Xie; Xu Yang Wen; Hu Sheng Shan; Yun Xiang Du; Ya Ping Zhao
• Keywords: Male; 0301 basic medicine; China; Esophageal Neoplasms; Cell Differentiation; Middle Aged; 3. Good health; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; MicroRNAs; 03 medical and health sciences; Gene Ontology; Cell Movement; Cell Line, Tumor; Lymphatic Metastasis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Humans; Female; Gene Regulatory Networks; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Aged

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the leading malignancy in Huaian, China. Recently, emerging studies have suggested that an aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression signature exists in ESCC. However, there is discordant information available on specific miRNA expression in patients from different regions. In this study, we identified 12 miRNAs that are differentially expressed in patients with ESCC from Huaian, China. Among these miRNAs that displayed unique miRNA expression signatures, miR-1, miR-29c, miR-100, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-143, miR-145, and miR-195 were downregulated, and miR-7, miR-21, miR-223, and miR-1246 were upregulated in cancerous tissue compared with the adjacent normal tissue. Bioinformatics analyses identified the major biological processes and signaling pathways that are targeted by these differentially expressed miRNAs. Accordingly, miR-29c, miR-100, miR-133a, and miR-133b were found to be involved in invasion and metastasis of ESCC, and miR-7 and miR-21 were found to be related to the differentiation of ESCC. Thus, our data present new evidence for the important roles of miRNAs in ESCC.