Identification of genes and miRNAs associated with angiogenesis, metastasis, and apoptosis in colorectal cancer

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the main cause of cancer-related mortalities, worldwide and is the most prevalent cancer of the gastrointestinal tract. Different techniques exist to diagnose CRC including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, and plasma miRNA test. This study evaluates the important miRNAs and main genes playing role in metastasis, angiogenesis and apoptosis that can be considered as prognostic and progression markers of CRC. We have measured the expression levels of the miRNAs, and multiple genes related to angiogenesis, metastasis and apoptosis in 45 paired samples of CRC tissue specimens and adjacent normal mucosa tissues obtained from 45 patients with CRC utilizing Real-time PCR. We have also analyzed the relationship between the expression of these genes and clinic pathological features. Results showed that the expression levels of angiogenesis genes (PGE-2, VEGF, Vimentin, CD105, CXCL-1, and IGFBP-7), metastatic genes (IGF-1R, Snail-1, and MMP-7) and apoptotic genes (Bcl-2, Bcl-xl, and NF-κβ1) were significantly higher in cancer tissues. But the expression levels of E-cadherin, AdipoR1, Claudin-7, Bax, Puma, and Noxa, were notably lower in cancer tissues. Additionally, it was revealed that miRNAs (miR-21, miR-19a, miR-18a, and miR-92a) expression levels were in higher levels in cancer tissues when compared to the normal tissues. In contrast, the expression levels of miR-31, and miR-139-5p were significantly lower in cancer tissues. It is hoped that, by measuring the metastasis, angiogenesis and apoptosis resistance associated miRNAs expression, better treatment results would be achieved in CRC treatment.