Serum miR-21 predicts the prognosis of patients with primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Qing Ji; Ting Jiang; Jun Su; Suyuan Zhang; Chengfang Li; Xiaorong Yang; Xinglong Wu; Jin Yao; Dan Yuan; Jinjing Wang

doi:10.18388/abp.2020_5816

Qing Ji Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Ting Jiang Department of Pathology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China
Jun Su Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Suyuan Zhang Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Chengfang Li Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Xiaorong Yang Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Xinglong Wu Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Jin Yao Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Dan Yuan Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Jinjing Wang Department of Pathology, the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18388/abp.2020_5816

Abstract

Background: Primary gastrointestinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PGI-DLBCL) lacks specific clinical manifestations and its malignancy renders prognostication and choice of treatment strategy difficult. The aim of this study was to evaluate microRNA (miR)-21 as potential non-invasive biomarkers for prognosis in PGI-DLBCL patients. Methods: Serum miR-21 expression in de novo PGI-DLBCL patients, consecutively enrolled for this study, was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Relative expression was calculated using the comparative Ct method. Statistical significance was determined using the Mann-Whitney rank sum and Fisher’s exact test. Survival analysis was conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Compared with healthy controls, serum miR-21 levels were significantly elevated in the PGI-DLBCL patients (n=156). The high expression level of serum miR-21 at diagnosis was associated with worse progression-free survival (PFS) (30 (9–42) vs 42 (12–52) months in high and low miR-21 groups) and overall survival (OS) (35 (15–52) vs 48 (17–61) months in high and low miR-21 groups) and was an independent risk factor for PFS and OS (hazard ratios 4.345 and 3.311, respectively). Furthermore, Bcl-2, Bcl-6 and Ki-67 were independently and positively associated with miR-21 expression. Conclusions: Our results suggest that miR-21 is a potential prognostic marker to predict clinical outcomes in PGI-DLBCL patients and a high miR-21 level is associated with poor outcomes.