Alteration of Gene and miRNA Expression in Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Cervical Cancer

Abstract

<b>Background</b>: Cervical cancer is one of the most common malignancies in women in terms of prevalence and mortality. Cervical cancer has some particularities that distinguish it from any other oncologic pathology: first, it is completely preventable by prompt detection of its precursor, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN); second, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a known etiological agent; third, the mean age at diagnosis is much lower than in other oncologic conditions, as a consequence of the sexually-transmitted HPV. <b>Methods</b>: We evaluated the expression level of several long noncoding RNAs and a microRNA in samples from 30 patients with CIN, 9 with cervical cancer and 38 normal samples using qRT-PCR technology. <b>Results</b>: We observed higher expression levels for <i>MEG3, DAPK1</i>, <i>MLH1</i> and <i>MALAT1</i> in CIN samples than in normal samples, whereas <i>TIMP3</i> and <i>SOX1</i> had lower expression levels. For cancer samples, <i>DAPK1</i>, <i>MLH1</i> and <i>MALAT1</i> had higher expression, and <i>MEG3</i>, <i>TIMP3</i> and <i>SOX1</i> had lower expression when compared to normal samples. In the case of CIN versus cancer samples, only <i>MEG3</i> gene showed a statistically significant difference. The expression of <i>miR-205-5p</i> was lower in both CIN and cancer samples compared to normal samples. <b>Conclusion:</b> Decreased <i>MEG3</i> expression could be considered an alarm signal in the transition from a premalignant cervical lesion to invasive cancer, while altered expression levels of <i>TIMP3</i>, <i>SOX1</i>, <i>MLH1</i>, <i>MALAT1</i> and <i>miR-205-5p</i> could serve as early biomarkers in the diagnosis of premalignant cervical lesions. Future studies, including a larger number of patients with CIN, will be of particular importance in validating these observations.