Transcriptomic analysis of patient plasma reveals circulating miR200c as a potential biomarker for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Natalie J. Hannan; Paul A. Cohen; Sally Beard; Sanela Bilic; Bonnie Zhang; Stephen Tong; Clare Whitehead; Lisa Hui

Gynecologic Oncology Reports (Feb 2022)

Transcriptomic analysis of patient plasma reveals circulating miR200c as a potential biomarker for high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Natalie J. Hannan,
Paul A. Cohen,
Sally Beard,
Sanela Bilic,
Bonnie Zhang,
Stephen Tong,
Clare Whitehead,
Lisa Hui

Affiliations

Natalie J. Hannan: Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function Group, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Translational Obstetrics Group, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northern Health, Epping, Victoria Australia; Mercy Perinatal, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Corresponding author at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Mercy Hospital for Women, 163 Studley Rd, Heidelberg 3084, Victoria, Australia.
Paul A. Cohen: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
Sally Beard: Therapeutics Discovery and Vascular Function Group, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Translational Obstetrics Group, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northern Health, Epping, Victoria Australia
Sanela Bilic: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
Bonnie Zhang: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Subiaco, Western Australia, Australia
Stephen Tong: Translational Obstetrics Group, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia; Mercy Perinatal, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
Clare Whitehead: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia
Lisa Hui: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria Australia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Northern Health, Epping, Victoria Australia; Mercy Perinatal, Mercy Hospital for Women, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia; Reproductive Epidemiology Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria Australia

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 39
p. 100894

Abstract

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Background: High-grade serous tubo-ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common histological subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer, and highly lethal. Currently there is no effective screening test and prognosis is poor as the majority of cases are diagnosed at the advanced stage. Cell free RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) are dysregulated in ovarian cancer tissue and are detectable in the circulation. This study aimed to determine whether circulating cell free miRNAs may be potential biomarkers for the detection of HGSC. Methods: Plasma was collected from women with HGSC (Grade 3, n = 24), and benign ovarian masses (n = 24). RNA was extracted from patient plasma and subjected to miRNA targeted next generation sequencing (NGS). A subsequent validation cohort was assessed using plasma collected from women with HGSC (n = 14) and controls (with a benign ovarian mass; n = 15). RNA was extracted and assessed using quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Differential gene expression (DGE) of the NGS data revealed a significant increase in the miRNA, miR200c, in the circulation of women with HGSC (p less than 0.05) compared to controls. In the validation cohort miR200c expression by qPCR was found to also be increased in the circulation of women with HGSC compared to controls (p = 0.0023). Conclusions: Circulating miR200c may be a promising candidate biomarker for the detection of HGSC. Further larger cohort studies exploring earlier stages are needed to determine whether circulating miR200c may be a sensitive and specific biomarker of tubo-ovarian cancer.

Published in Gynecologic Oncology Reports

ISSN: 2352-5789 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Gynecology and obstetrics; Medicine: Internal medicine: Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Website: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/gynecologic-oncology-reports/

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