Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurology, Yichang Central People’s Hospital and The First College of Clinical Medical Science, Three Gorges University, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China | [b] Yichang Blood Center, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Jian Chen, Department of Neurosurgery, Institute of Neurology, Yichang Central People’s Hospital & the First College of Clinical Medical Science, Three Gorges University. No. 183 Yiling Road, Yichang, Hubei 443003, China. Tel.: +86 7176486087; E-mail: jianchenych@yahoo.com.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been demonstrated to play an important role in the development and progression of various types of cancer including glioblastoma (GBM). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression pattern and prognostic significance of serum miR-203 in patients with GBM. METHODS: miR-203 extracted from cell culture medium and serum samples was detected by real-time PCR. The correlation between serum miR-203 expression as well as clinicopathological characteristics and patient survival was determined. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-203 was remarkably reduced in the GBM cells and their culture medium. Serum miR-203 expression was significantly decreased in GBM patients compared with low grade glioma (LGG) patients and healthy controls. In addition, serum miR-203 discriminated GBM patients from LGG patients and healthy subjects. Chi-squared analysis showed that a significant correlation was found between low serum miR-203 expression and larger tumor size as well as lower Karnofsky Performance Scale scores. Patients with lower serum miR-203 suffered poorer overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Multivariate analysis indicated that low miR-203 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor OS in GBM patients. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that serum miR-203 expression might serve as a potential prognostic indicator of GBM.
