The results showed that the serum levels of miR-222-3p, miR-17-5p, and miR-451a were markedly increased, while miR-146a-5p, miR-132-3p, and miR-183-3p were significantly decreased in the PTC and benign nodule groups compared with the control group.
We concluded that miR-451 expression is a reliable FFPE tissue biomarker for PTC malignancies and it may have potentials to become a noninvasive, blood-based biomarker for PTC diagnosis and evaluation of LN status.
In addition, we demonstrated that ectopic expression of miR-451a impairs proliferation and migration of two PTC-derived cell lines, reduces the protein levels of its recognized targets MIF, c-MYC and AKT1 and attenuates AKT/mTOR pathway activation.Overall, our study provide both an updated overview of miRNA deregulation in PTC and the first functional evidence that miR-451a exerts tumor suppressor functions in this neoplasia.
Upregulated expression of miR-2861 and miR-451 in PTC with LN metastasis represents a unique miRNA signature associated with the prognosis and progression of PTC.