ONCOmmunity

Significance and Function of MicroRNA-7 in Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

By: Keigo Hara, Tatsuya Miyazaki, Takehiko Yokobori, Tomonori Yoshida, Yuji Kumakura, Hiroaki Honjyo, Makoto Sakai, Makoto Sohda, Minoru Fukuchi, Hiroyuki Kuwano

Department of General Surgical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma University, Maebashi, Japan.
2017-01-05; doi: 10.21873/anticanres.11415

Abstract

Background/aim

We detected microRNA-7 (miR-7) as being specific for oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by using database analysis. However, the significance of miR-7 in clinical ESCC remains unexplored. This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological significance of miR-7 in ESCC, and investigate miR-7 function.

Materials

Quantitative TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate miR-7 expression in 85 ESCC samples to determine the clinicopathological significance of miR-7 expression. The regulation of proliferation by miR-7 was examined with miR-7 precursor-transfected cells.

Results

The expression of miR-7 in ESCC was higher than that in normal tissues. Low expression levels of miR-7 were associated with poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis indicated that low miR-7 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor survival. In vitro assays showed miR-7 precursor treatment suppressed the proliferation of ESCC cells.

Conclusion

miR-7 might be a promising prognostic marker and therapeutic target in ESCC.