Identifying MicroRNA Pathway Variants as Biomarkers of Patient Selection for Immune Therapy

In this chapter we discuss the discovery and validation of microRNA (miRNA) associated germline biomarkers, as well as their application on a cohort of patients treated with immune therapy to predict response and toxicity. MiRNAs are the first class of noncoding RNAs discovered, and these pathways have been shown to be important regulators of the systemic stress response, including that to cancer therapy. We detail the original discovery efforts identifying germline biomarkers that disrupt miRNA circuitry, and then the selection, application, and validation of these biomarkers and their potential to predict important outcomes to checkpoint therapy.