Consistent high concentration of the viral microRNA BART17 in plasma samples from nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients--evidence of non-exosomal transport.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Because latent Epstein Barr (EBV)-infection is a specific characteristic of malignant nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), various molecules of viral origin are obvious candidate biomarkers in this disease. In a previous study, we could show in a few clinical samples that it was possible to detect a category of EBV microRNAs called miR-BARTs in the plasma of at least a fraction of NPC patients. The first aim of the present study was to investigate the status of circulating miR-BART17-5p (one of the miR-BARTs hereafter called miR-BART17) and EBV DNA in a larger series of NPC plasma samples. The second aim was to determine whether or not circulating miR-BART17 was carried by plasma exosomes.

Patients and methods

Plasma samples were collected from 26 NPC patients and 10 c

SUBMITTER: Gourzones C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3685608 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature