BACKGROUND:

MicroRNA molecules are altered in cancerous prostate tissue. This is also true in the drug-resistant cases. MicroRNAs are important regulators of gene expression and they are involved in various pathologic processes. These molecules have been reported as diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment response biomarkers in prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the microRNA expression profile through molecular biology techniques in patients with prostate cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A case-control study was conducted that analyzed blood samples from patients diagnosed with prostate cancer for serum total RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis, qRT-PCR, and microRNA expression analysis.

RESULTS:

Twenty blood samples were collected for molecular miRNA study. Sixty-two microRNAs were analyzed and 9 of them were revealed to have altered expression. Five of those 9 are reported in the international literature as castration-resistant prostate cancer markers.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

There is clear evidence of the relation between miRNAs and their function in pathologic processes. For example, the miR-375 gene is related to proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition; miR-143 is related to migration and invasion; and miR-31 is related to the androgen receptor. This could improve the biomarkers already established in prostate cancer. The identification of miRNAs through noninvasive methods is a useful tool for the detection and diagnosis of prostate cancer, as well as for the prognosis of patients at risk for developing drug resistance in relation to their treatment.