The impact of standard chemotherapy on miRNA signature in plasma in AML patients

• We examined paired plasma samples in AML patients at diagnosis and in remission.
• All patients received standard chemotherapy and were examined before transplantation.
• A specific 6 miRNA signature significantly sensitive to chemotherapy was found.
• The abundance of these miRNAs was elevated in plasma at diagnosis and decreased after chemotherapy.
• All 6 miRNAs were not or weakly present in plasma of healthy individuals.

AimIn our pilot study, we used plasma samples as liquid biopsy to search for miRNA signatures in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at diagnosis and in remission achieved after standard chemotherapy before planned transplantation.Material and methodsWe examined 10 plasma samples from healthy volunteers and 8 paired samples from patients with AML at diagnosis and in remission using TaqMan MicroRNA Arrays. The results were validated using single-target qPCR reactions run in triplicates.ResultsWe selected 6 miRNAs with expressions significantly sensitive to therapy: miR-199b-5p, miR-301b, miR-326, miR-361-5p, miR-625 and miR-655. All selected miRNAs were not or very weakly expressed in healthy individuals. They were abundant in plasma in patients at diagnosis but their levels decreased after chemotherapy.ConclusionWe detected a therapy sensitive miRNA signature in plasma of patients with AML.