MiR-92b and miR-9/9* are specifically expressed in brain primary tumors and can be used to differentiate primary from metastatic brain tumors.

ABSTRACT: A recurring challenge for brain pathologists is to diagnose whether a brain malignancy is a primary tumor or a metastasis from some other tissue. The accurate diagnosis of brain malignancies is essential for selection of proper treatment. MicroRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNA species that regulate gene expression; many exhibit tissue-specific expression and are misregulated in cancer. Using microRNA expression profiling, we found that hsa-miR-92b and hsa-miR-9/hsa-miR-9* are over-expressed, specifically in brain primary tumors, as compared to primary tumors from other tissues and their metastases to the brain. By considering the expression of only these two microRNAs, it is possible to distinguish between primary and metastatic brain tumors with very high accuracy. These microRNAs

SUBMITTER: Nass D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2728890 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature