MicroRNA-182-5p and microRNA-205-5p as potential biomarkers for prognostic stratification of p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Weiss, Bernhard G.^{a; 1; *} | Anczykowski, Mahalia Zoe^{b; 1} | Ihler, Friedrich^{a; c} | Bertlich, Mattis^a | Spiegel, Jennifer L.^a | Haubner, Frank^a | Canis, Martin^a | Küffer, Stefan^d | Hess, Julia^{e; f; g} | Unger, Kristian^{e; f; g} | Kitz, Julia^{d; 1} | Jakob, Mark^{a; 1}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany | [b] Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany | [c] German Center for Vertigo and Balance Disorders (DSGZ), Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany | [d] Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany | [e] Research Unit Radiation Cytogenetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Munich, Germany | [f] Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany | [g] Clinical Cooperation Group “Personalized Radiotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer”, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Munich, Germany

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Bernhard G. Weiss, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany. Tel.: +49 89 4400; Fax: +49 89 4400 7689; %****␣cbm-33-cbm203149_temp.tex␣Line␣125␣**** E-mail: bernhard.weiss@med.uni-muenchen.de.

Note: [1] Bernhard G. Weiss, Mahalia Zoe Anczykowski, Julia Kitz and Mark Jakob contributed equally to this study.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs constitute promising biomarkers. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate diagnostic and prognostic implications of miR-182-5p and miR-205-5p in p16-positive and p16-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs). METHODS: Expression of miR-182-5p, miR-205-5p were determined via quantitative real-time-PCR in fresh frozen tissues of 26 p16-positive, 19 p16-negative OPSCCs and 18 HPV-negative oropharyngeal controls. Associations between miRNA-expression, clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. RESULTS: Higher miR-182-5p expression was associated with significant inferior disease-specific survival for p16-positive OPSCCs (HR = 1.98E+09, 95% CI 0–Inf; P= 0.028) and a similar trend was observed for p16-negative OPSCCs (HR = 1.56E+09, 95% CI 0–Inf; P= 0.051). Higher miR-205-5p expression was associated with an inferior progression-free survival (HR = 4.62, 95% CI 0.98–21.83; P= 0.034) and local control rate (HR = 2.18E+09, 95% CI 0–Inf; P= 0.048) for p16-positive OPSCCs. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that miR-182-5p and miR-205-5p can further stratify patients with p16-positive OPSCC into prognostic groups.

Keywords: Oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, p16, microRNA, miR-182-5p, miR-205-5p

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-203149

Journal: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 33, no. 3, pp. 331-347, 2022