Expression of miRNA-21, miRNA-107, miRNA-137 and miRNA-29b in meningioma

- miRNA-21 and miRNA-107 were associated with histopathological grade of meningiomas.
- The relationship between mRNA expression and meningioma will shed light on gene therapy.
- Further studies should be focus on other sub-types of miRNA.

ObjectiveMeningiomas are among the most common intracranial tumors, accounting for 30% of all tumors of the central nervous system. Recent studies analyzing microRNA (miRNA) profiles and functions in cancer have provided valuable information about the molecular pathogenesis of several tumor types, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), hepatocellular carcinoma, and breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer. miRNAs are a family of small, endogenous, noncoding RNAs of 18-25 nucleotides. In this study, we carried out a genome-wide array screen comparing miRNA-21, miRNA-107, miRNA-137 and miRNA-29b expression in meningiomas.Patients and methodsA total of 50 meningioma patients (16 men and 34 women) aged between 32 and 80 years were included. The study was conducted at Istanbul Research and Training Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic.ResultsOur results have shown a significant increase in miRNA-21 expression with increasing histopathologic grade, while there was a significant reduction in miRNA-107 expression with the increasing histopathological grade. miRNA-137 and miRNA-29b expression did not differ significantly according to histopathologic grade.ConclusionThe subject of our study, i.e. the association between miRNA expression and meningioma, is continuously gaining more importance in the wider context of the recent developments in genetic treatments.