Correlations of microRNA-138 and microRNA-143 expression with prognosis in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

  Objective  To investigate correlations of expressions of microRNA-138(miR-138) and microRNA-143 (miR-143) with prognosis in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

  Methods  A total of 124 patients with NMIBC were included as research objects, and tumor tissue and adjacent tissue (about 3 cm away from the lesion) were taken from 68 patients simultaneously. The expression levels of miR-138 and miR-143 in cancer tissues and adjacent tissues were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). NMIBC patients were followed up for 36 months after surgery. Multivariate Cox regression model was used to analyze the prognostic risk factors. Log-rank chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation of miR-138 and miR-143 expression with prognosis. Kappa test was used to analyze the consistency of miR-138 and miR-143 expression in NMIBC tissues.

  Results  The expressions of miR-138 and miR-143 in NMIBC were lower than those in adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). Cox multiple regression analysis showed that tumor in T₁ stage, tumor diameter ≥ 3 cm, multiple tumors and high-grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (UPC) were prognostic risk factors, while the high expressions of miR-138 and miR-143 were prognostic protective factors (P < 0.05). The tumor free and cumulative survival rates in patients with high expression of miR-138 and miR-143 were higher than those with low expressions of miR-138 and miR-143 (P < 0.01). Kappa test showed that the expression of miR-138 in NMIBC was highly consistent with that of miR-143 (P < 0.01).

  Conclusion  The expressions of miR-138 and miR-143 in NMIBC are down regulated, while decreased expressions of miR-138 and miR-143 could increase the risk of poor prognosis and reduce the tumor-free and cumulative survival rate of NMIBC.