Association of miRNA-17-92 Cluster with Muscle Invasion in Bladder Cancer

TL;DR

This study finds that certain miRNAs, including the miRNA-17-92 cluster, are linked to muscle invasion and tumor severity in bladder cancer.

Contribution

The study identifies a panel of 26 dysregulated miRNAs in bladder cancer, with the miRNA-17-92 cluster specifically associated with tumor aggressiveness.

Findings

The miRNA-17-92 cluster is upregulated in bladder cancer tissue and correlates with muscle invasion.

Specific miRNAs from the cluster (miR-17-5p, miR-18a-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-20a-5p) are linked to tumor grading and progression.

A total of 26 miRNAs were found to be dysregulated in bladder cancer tissues.

Abstract

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer of the urinary system and one of the most common malignancies in the world. In the last decade, many studies have been conducted to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of BC to find innovative markers for disease monitoring and treatment. In this study, we aim to identify miRNAs whose expression is associated with specific tumoral characteristics and risks of disease progression. Forty-one BC patients were enrolled in this study. The expression of 84 miRNAs was evaluated by qRT-PCR analysis on tumoral and peritumoral tissues. The results highlighted the association of the miRNA-17-92 cluster with BC, with miR-17-5p, miR-18a-5p, miR-19a-3p, and miR-20a-5p (members of this cluster) being upregulated in the tumoral tissue and correlated with muscle invasion and tumor grading. Taken together, our study identified a panel of 26 dysregulated miRNAs in BC, some of which may be associated with aggressiveness and the risk of progression of this malignancy.

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