MicroRNAs in osteosarcomas

In many studies, performed to investigate the genes and gene products that drive the metastatic process, it has become evident that, in addition to alterations in protein-encoding genes, abnormalities in non-coding genes can also contribute to cancer pathogenesis. In the context of microRNAs in tumours, our aim was to evaluate whether pro- metastatic and non-metastatic sarcoma cells may differ in their microRNA expression, in the effort to identify single pro-metastatic microRNAs in bone and soft-tissue sarcomas. A number of microRNAs reported in the miRNA registry data base were found to be differential expressed in MG-63 and 143B osteosarcoma model cell lines. Two of the differentially expressed microRNA, miR-93 and miR- 210, for which no functional data were available, were analyzed in different cell lines and tissues and investigated for their potential involvement in motility phenomena. The expression of another set of four differentially expressed miRNAs (miR-9, miR- 183, miR-196a, miR-484), was identified through a global expression analysis, and analyzed in surgical specimens of low- and high-grade osteosarcoma patients.

Autorentext

Luisa Montanini is a biologist specialized in Medical Genetics at the University of Milan. She get her PhD in Systemic Physiopathology at the University of Parma in 2009. Her main research interest is the understanding of the mechanisms involved in genes deregulation in degenerative diseases.