Higher expression of mir‐31‐5p is associated with reduced risk of head and neck keloid recurrence following surgical resection

Abstract

Abstract Objective In this study, we aimed to evaluate mir‐31‐5p as a prognostic biomarker of keloid disease (KD) recurrence using a retrospective, treatment naïve, surgical cohort of head and neck KD cases from Henry Ford Health. Methods Using a tissue microarray, mir‐31‐5p expression was measured with miRNAscope, and mir‐31‐5p cell positivity was determined with QuPath. Logistic regression was used to test the association between mir‐31‐5p positive cells and KD recurrence at 1 year. In an independent dataset, associations between mir‐31‐5p and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression were assessed. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis identified target genes and pathways impacted by mir‐31‐5p. Results Of the 58 KD patients, 42 (72%) received adjuvant triamcinolone injections, and 8 recurred (14%). mir‐31‐5p was expressed in 48 (83%) specimens. Increasing mir‐31‐5p expression was associated with decreased risk of recurrence (p = .031), with an odds ratio of 0.86 (95% CI 0.75–0.98) for each 20% increase in mir‐31‐5p cellular positivity. This effect persisted with triamcinolone treatment (odds ratio 0.82; 95% CI 0.71–0.95; p = .015). mir‐31‐5p correlated with gene expression enriched in KD pathways, including mRNA splicing and autophagy. Conclusion Taken together, our data supports the association between mir‐31‐5p expression and KD recurrence. Its potential as a prognostic biomarker should be further investigated. Level of Evidence Level 2.

Keywords

• biomarker
• fibroproliferative
• in situ hybridization
• keloid
• microarray
• microRNA