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Macerola E, Poma AM, Proietti A, Rago T, Romani R, Vignali P, Ugolini C, Torregrossa L, Basolo A, Santini F, Basolo F. Down-regulation of miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p predicts malignancy in indeterminate thyroid nodules negative for BRAF and RAS mutations. Endocrine 2022; 76:677-686. [PMID: 35347579 PMCID: PMC9156468 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-022-03034-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The value of molecular markers in refining preoperative risk assessment of indeterminate thyroid nodules is being widely investigated. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are emerging as promising biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The aim of this study is to identify miRNAs specifically deregulated in mutation-negative indeterminate thyroid nodules. METHODS Ninety-eight nodules preoperatively diagnosed as TIR 3A or TIR 3B with available histological diagnosis of follicular adenoma (FA), noninvasive follicular neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP), and follicular variant papillary thyroid carcinoma (FV-PTC) have been retrospectively selected. Mutations in BRAF and RAS genes have been tested in all samples by real-time PCR; miRNAs were purified from cytology slides of 60 samples; expression analysis of 798 miRNAs was measured by the nCounter system. RESULTS Point mutations in BRAF and RAS genes were detected in 32 out of 98 nodules (32.7%), the majority of which in FV-PTCs. Differential expression of miRNA in wild-type nodules highlighted that two miRNAs, namely miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p, were downregulated in FV-PTCs compared to FAs. The combined expression of these miRNAs, tested by ROC analysis, showed an area under the curve of 0.79. Sensitivity and negative predictive value were high both in wild-type (93% and 92%, respectively) and in mutated nodules (94% and 85%, respectively). CONCLUSION The analysis of miR-7-5p and miR-548ar-5p expression in indeterminate thyroid nodules demonstrated a promising value in ruling out malignancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Macerola
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Anello Marcello Poma
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Agnese Proietti
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Teresa Rago
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Rossana Romani
- University Hospital of Pisa - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Paola Vignali
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Clara Ugolini
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Liborio Torregrossa
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alessio Basolo
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Ferruccio Santini
- University of Pisa, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine - via Roma, 67 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fulvio Basolo
- University of Pisa, Department of Surgical, Medical, Molecular Pathology and Critical Area - via Savi, 10 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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