Expression of microRNA-16-5b, microRNA-27a, -34a-5p, -125b, -181 and -193b in cutaneous melanoma tissue

Aim. To study the expression of microRNA-16-5b, -27a, -34a-5p, -125b and -193b in melanoma tissue depending on the clinical and morphological characteristics of the tumor.Materials and methods. The study included 21 patients with a verified diagnosis of cutaneous melanoma. The expression of miR-16-5b, -27a, -34a-5p, -125b and -193b were studied in tumor tissue by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The patients are divided into 5 groups. The group 1 included patients with a tumor 0.75 mm thick (according to the Breslow classification), group 2 – 0.75–1.5 mm, group 3 – 1.51–3 mm, group 4 – 3–4 mm, group 5 – 4 mm. The control group consisted of 10 patients with skin nevi.Results. The expression of microRNA-27a-3p was reduced in group 5 compared to group 2 by 1.7 times. At the same time, the expression of microRNA-16-5b was, on the contrary, increased by 21.7 times in group 5 compared to groups 3 and 4. Multidirectional changes in microRNA expression were revealed when comparing parameters in groups differing in the depth of invasion. There was a 4.0-fold decrease in the expression of microRNA-27a in the group with Clark invasion III compared to the group with Clark invasion II, which was accompanied by an increase in the expression of microRNA-16-5b and microRNA-125 by 8.7 and 19.8 times, respectively. Moreover, the presence of signs of ulceration was associated with a low level of expression of microRNA-27a-3p against the background of an increase in the expression of the transcription factor microRNA-16-5b and microRNA-34a-5p.Conclusion. Thus, the features of microRNA expression in melanoma tissue have been identified. Changes in the expression of microRNA-27a-3p, -16-5b, -34a-5p and -125b are associated with the depth of its invasion and the presence of signs of invasive growth.