High levels of microRNA-21 in the stroma of colorectal cancers predict short disease-free survival in stage II colon cancer patients.

ABSTRACT: Approximately 25% of all patients with stage II colorectal cancer will experience recurrent disease and subsequently die within 5 years. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is upregulated in several cancer types and has been associated with survival in colon cancer. In the present study we developed a robust in situ hybridization assay using high-affinity Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) probes that specifically detect miR-21 in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples. The expression of miR-21 was analyzed by in situ hybridization on 130 stage II colon and 67 stage II rectal cancer specimens. The miR-21 signal was revealed as a blue chromogenic reaction, predominantly observed in fibroblast-like cells located in the stromal compartment of the tumors. The expression levels were measured using imag

SUBMITTER: Nielsen BS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2998639 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature