engleski

MicroRNAs and DNA methylation as biomarkers of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is second in incidence and third cause of cancer deaths in Croatia, with incidence rates steadily rising. Contradictory, Croatia records a fall in PCa research. Project Epigenetic biomarkers of prostate cancer (epiPro) includes two interconnected goals. The first is to establish a new Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, epiMark. Scientists gathered through epiMark are already active in studying male reproductive health and disease, therefore will contribute to the next general goal: studying potential epigenetic biomarkers (EB) in liquid biopsies of patients diagnosed with PCa. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is sensitive but not specific biomarker for PCa so new diagnostic and prognostic tools are needed. Our aim is to investigate microRNA and DNA methylation which may serve as potential EB for PCa risk and disease progression, and tools for differentiating PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). According to recent findings, we chose a set of miRNAs and gene promoter regions believed to be associated with PC development and progression. This ongoing study is conducted on 100 volunteers diagnosed with PCa and BPH at Urology departments of UHC Zagreb and UHC Sestre milosrdnice. In seminal fluid and blood, profiles of genes DNA methylation within cfDNA will be identified by pyrosequencing, while expression of miRNA by qPCR and ddPCR. Epigenetic analysis of gene expression will be performed on patient cancer tissues as well.

miRNA ; prostate cancer

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