Differential expression of miRNAs in IBD mucosa and intestinal fibroblasts: potential biomarkers for associated colorectal cancer

EMANUEL BARBIERA ROMERO; MALENA FERREYRA COMPAGNUCCI; MARÍA BELEN POLO; CORREA, GUSTAVO; MARTÍN YANTORNO; MARIA VICTORIA MERCADER; PAULA CHAVERO; JULIO DE MARÍA; GUILLERMO HORACIO DOCENA; MARTÍN RUMBO; RENATA CURCIARELLO; CECILIA ISABEL MUGLIA

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta SAIC SAI AAFE NanoMed; 2021

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and noncoding RNAswhich have recently gained relevance for their role in IBD pathogenesis asepigenetic modifiers of gene expression. MiRNAs are believed to be involved inthe gut inflammation in IBD and to be implicated in the transformation processfrom chronic inflammation to colorectal cancer (CRC). Besides, mucosalmyofibroblasts are key stromal cells involved in IBD pathogenesis and in theCRC tumor micro-environment. miR-21-5p, miR-155-5p, and miR-31 have repeatedlybeen identified and seem to be the most studied miRNAs related to IBD. In thiswork, we aimed to study whether there is differential expression of miR-21-5pand miR-155-5p in IBD mucosa, and in intestinal fibroblasts from IBD patients,compared to CRC patients and healthy control intestinal mucosa, as potentialearly biomarkers to predict CRC outcome in patients with chronic intestinalinflammatory disorders.Total RNA was obtained from mucosal explants fromIBD patients, healthy control patients, polyps biopsies and colon tumorbiopsies. Intestinal fibroblasts were isolated from colon surgical pieces andprimary cultures were established. cDNA from biopsies and/or fibroblasts wasobtained and miR-21-5p and miR-155-5p expression was quantified by real timeqPCR with specific primers.We detected higher expression levels of miR-21-5pin inflamed tissue compared to non-inflamed mucosa, as well as in tumorbiopsies from CRC patients, whereas expression of miR-155-5p was lower ininflamed mucosa compared to non-inflamed mucosa, as well as in  tumorbiopsies from CRC patients compared with healthy patient biopsies. Further studies including more samples withdifferent pathological features are underway, in order to confirm that thedifferential expression of these microRNAs could be a useful tool to predictIBD outcome to early prevent CRC onset.