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

EMANUEL BARBIERA ROMERO; MALENA FERREYRA COMPAGNUCCI; MARIA BELÉN POLO

Seattle

Congreso; Society for Mucosal Immunology; 2022

Differential expression of miRNAs in IBD mucosa and intestinal fibroblasts: potentialbiomarkers for associated colorectal cancerAuthors: Emanuel Barbiera Romero, Malena Ferreyra Compagnucci, María Belén Polo,Gustavo J. Correa, Martín Yantorno, María Victoria Mercader, Paula Chavero, Julio DeMaria, Guillermo H.Docena, Martín Rumbo, Renata Curciarello and Cecilia I. Muglia.Palabras clave: Micro-RNAs, intestinal biopsies, intestinal chronic inflammation,myofibroblasts.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and noncoding RNAs which have recently gained relevancefor their role in IBD pathogenesis as epigenetic modifiers of gene expression. MiRNAs arebelieved to be involved in the gut inflammation in IBD and to be implicated in thetransformation process from chronic inflammation to colorectal cancer (CRC). Besides,mucosal myofibroblasts are key stromal cells involved in IBD pathogenesis and in the CRCtumor micro-environment. miR-21-5p, miR-155-5p, and miR-31 have repeatedly beenidentified and seem to be the most studied miRNAs related to IBD. In this work, we aimed tostudy whether there is differential expression of miR-21-5p and miR-155-5p in IBD mucosa,and in intestinal fibroblasts from IBD patients, compared to CRC patients and healthy controlintestinal mucosa, as potential early biomarkers to predict CRC outcome in patients withchronic intestinal inflammatory disorders.Total RNA was obtained from mucosal explants from IBD patients, healthy control patients,polyps biopsies and colon tumor biopsies. Intestinal fibroblasts were isolated from colonsurgical pieces and primary cultures were established. cDNA from biopsies and/orfibroblasts was obtained and miR-21-5p and miR-155-5p expression was quantified by realtime qPCR with specific primers.We detected higher expression levels of miR-21-5p in inflamed tissue compared to non-inflamed mucosa, as well as in tumor biopsies from CRC patients, whereas expression ofmiR-155-5p was lower in inflamed mucosa compared to non-inflamed mucosa, as well as in tumor biopsies from CRC patients compared with healthy patient biopsies. Further studies including more samples with different pathological features are underway, inorder to confirm that the differential expression of these microRNAs could be a useful tool topredict IBD outcome to early prevent CRC onset.