Expression of miR-1290 and Its Target Genes THBS1 and DKK3 in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs (containing approximately 22 nucleotides), which modulate and control the expression of target genes by binding them. MiRNAs play a crucial role in tumorigenesis. Thus, alterations in the expression level of miRNAs play a key role in the pathobiology of numerous cancers. In this research, the expression level of MicroRNA-1290 (miR1290) and its target genes THBS1 and DKK3 were evaluated in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 144 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of CRC and adjacent tissues from patients who referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Total RNA was isolated from the tissue using Trizol reagent following the manufacturer’s instructions and then reverse transcribed to cDNA. The expression of miR-1290 and its target genes was measured by quantitative Real-Time PCR (qRT-PCR). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS V.20 statistical software. Results: We present evidence that the miR-1290 expression in CRC tissues was significantly higher than in the normal margin, and its targets were downregulated in tumor tissue compared to the adjacent tissue. Conclusion: This study supports the essential role of miR-1290 and its contribution to CRC invasion and metastasis through targeting THBS1 and DKK3, as biomarkers for CRC diagnosis.