Functional analysis of miR-486-5p in ovarian endometrioma and endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K16779
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University
• Principal Investigator: Nakamura Natsuho 大阪医科薬科大学, 医学部, 非常勤医師 (10869754)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 子宮内膜症 / 子宮内膜症関連卵巣癌 / 卵巣明細胞癌 / miRNA / Te-EVs / 組織滲出細胞外小胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aim to identify cancer-specific miRNAs as novel OCC biomarkers using tissue-exudative extracellular vesicles (Te-EVs). Te-EVs were collected from four patients with OCC on one side and a normal ovary on the other side. Microarray analysis was performed to identify cancer-specific miRNAs in Te-EVs. Serum samples obtained before and after surgery from patients with OCC and atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH) (controls) were compared using real-time PCR to examine changes in the detected EV miRNA levels. Thirty-seven miRNAs were >2-fold upregulated on the OCC side compared with the normal ovarian side. The levels of six EV miRNAs were significantly decreased in postoperative OCC serum compared to those in preoperative OCC serum. In contrast, no significant change was observed between the pre and postoperative values in the control group. We identified OCC tissue-specific miRNAs in the EVs secreted by OCC tissues.

Free Research Field

子宮内膜症

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

細胞外小胞はバイオマーカーキャリアとして注目を集めており、我々は、組織滲出細胞外小胞(Te-EV)を使用して、がん特異的なmiRNAを新規OCCバイオマーカーとして特定することを目的とした。
6つのEV miRNAのレベルは、術前OCC血清と比較して術後OCC血清で有意に減少した。対して、対照群の術前と術後の値の間に有意な変化は観察されなかったことより、OCC組織によって分泌されるEV中のOCC組織特異的miRNAを特定することができた。これらのEV miRNAは、OCCの早期診断と検出のためのバイオマーカーとして使用する可能性がある。