Role of microRNAs -29b-2, -155, -197 and -205 as diagnostic biomarkers in serum of breast cancer females

Abstract

Micro-RNAs (miRs) are known to be differentially expressed in the serum of cancer patients and controls, and can thus be used as biomarkers for cancer screening. We detected the expression level of miR-29b-2, 155, 197 and 205 in the serum of female breast cancer patients and healthy controls to detect whether serum level of this chosen micro-RNAs could detect patients with breast cancer and also to detect difference in level of micro-RNAs between non-metastatic cases and metastatic cases, also we tried to detect any relation between level of micro-RNAs and the stage of the tumor, the size of tumor, nodal affection, the presence of metastasis and also the site of metastasis. Serum samples were collected from 130 female patients, 80 with non-metastatic breast cancer, 20 with metastatic breast cancer and 30 healthy controls. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression level of miR-29b-2, -155, -197 and -205. The expression level of miR-29b-2, -155, -197 and -205 was significantly increased in the serum of breast cancer patients. miR-29b-2, -155, -197 and -205 may be useful as a blood-based biomarker for breast cancer screening.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Metastasis; miR-155; miR-197; miR-205; miR-29b-2.