Screening And Bioinformatic Analyses Of Serum MicroRNAs In Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With Lung Metastases Based On Iodine-131Uptake Capacity

Objective The present study was designed to compare the differences in serum miRNAsbetween papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients with131I–avid lungmetastases and those with non-131I-avid lung metastases, and to screen a serummiRNA relevant to131I uptake in lung metastases from PTC.Methods We collected serum samples from9PTC patients with131I-avid lung metastases(Group A) and9PTC patients with non-131I-avid lung metastases (Group B)respectively, and both groups were matched for age and sex, without history ofother tumors. The serum miRNAs were profiled using miRNA chiptechnology and the difference between the two groups was compared.Bioinformatics analysis was performed to screen the core miRNAs.Results A total of13serum miRNAs with statistically significant differences weredetected between Group A and group B. Among them,5miRNAs displayedhigh expression, and8miRNAs showed low expression in Group B.Bioinformatics analysis showed that serum miR-106a was the core miRNA.The miR-106a was involved in regulating193target genes, including MAPK1,MAP3K8, MAP3K3, MAP3K12, MAP3K5, MAP3K14, MAP3K2, MAPK11and et al. Conclusions The serum miRNAs were significantly different between PTC patients with131I–avid lung metastases and those with non-131I-avid lung metastases. ThemiR-106a, which was significantly increased in patients with non-131I-avidlung metastases, was the core miRNA. Serum miR-106a might be associatedwith lung metastases losing the function of131I uptake.