Microarray analysis revealed markedly differential miRNA expression profiles in cervical intraepithelial neoplasias and invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

AIMS: To investigate the alterations in miRNA expression during the progression of dysplasia in cervical epithelium.

METHODS

A global miRNA expression profile of normal cervical squamous epithelium (Normal), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (ISCC) was produced using the seventh generation of the miRCURY™ LNA microRNA Array (Exiqon, Vedbaek, Denmark). The reliability of miRNA arrays was verified by reverse transcription PCR.

RESULTS

Normal, CIN 3 and ISCC showed distinct miRNA expression profiles. The differentially expressed miRNAs in ISCC versus CIN 3 clearly differed from that in CIN 3 versus Normal. Compared with ISCC versus Normal, more identical miRNAs were found in ISCC versus CIN 3 than in CIN 3 versus Normal.

CONCLUSION

A particular set of miRNAs was associated with the progression of normal cervical epithelium to CIN 3 and CIN 3 to ISCC. The miRNA profile changed more noticeably in the progression of CIN to ISCC than normal cervical epithelium to CIN.