Posted: Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Rui Wang, PhD, of Lianshui People’s Hospital, Jiangsu, China, and colleagues proposed that patients with multiple myeloma may be good candidates for miRNA-targeted treatments. Additionally, the study authors suggested the miRNA genes may provide new detection standards for signs of early tumor, treatment, and prognostic evaluation. These study findings, which were published in the World Journal of Surgical Oncology, offers a theoretical basis for future research in this type of hematologic malignancy.
The study obtained mRNA expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. One gene, GSE39754, included the mRNA expression profile of CD138-purified myeloma plasma cells from 170 newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma and CD138-purified plasma cells from 6 healthy donors. A second gene, GSE87830, included mRNA and miRNA expression profiles of CD138-purified myeloma plasma cells from 95 newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma and 4 noncancer samples.
The study analyzed differentially expressed miRNAs between multiple myeloma and controls in GSE87830. Then, a regulatory network of target mRNAs related to the overall survival of patients with multiple myeloma was constructed.
A total of 356 common mRNAs and 103 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified. The mRNAs were significantly enriched in neutrophil-mediated immunity, Th17 cell differentiation, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Moreover, the study predicted 91 differentially expressed mRNAs as target mRNAs. Cox regression analysis was used to screen 14 target mRNAs that significantly affected the survival of patients with multiple myeloma. In the constructed integrated regulatory network, HIF1A and THBS1 were found to participate in Th17 cell differentiation and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. These findings strongly suggested that the miR-199a-5p/HIF1A and miR-491-5p/THBS1 signaling axes may be keys in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple myeloma.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
World Journal of Surgical Oncology