Background: Peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) is an obviously heterogeneous and highly invasive malignancy without definite phenotype. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are powerful gene regulators and have been reported as biomarkers in many malignancies.
Objective: To discover potential signaling miRNAs in PTCL-NOS distinguished from reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) and to explore the molecular characteristics based on the discovery.
Methods: We measured the expression profile of miRNAs in PTCL-NOS and RLH from our patients using a panel PCR array. We used GO-Analysis to evaluate the function of the targets regulated by the detected miRNAs. Then using pathway enrichment analysis, we defined potential pathways connected with the selected miRNAs.
Results: We found 20 miRNAs which were remarkably up/down-regulated in PTCL-NOS. GO-Analysis and pathway analysis indicated 61 GOs and 34 signaling pathways that were significantly increased or decreased regarding tumorigenesis, tumor progression, invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance.
Conclusions: Briefly, our results suggest that 20 miRNAs have the potential to be used as biomarker for identification of patients with PTCL-NOS.
Keywords: Peripheral T-cell lymphoma; drug resistance; microRNA; profiling; tumorigenesis.