Expression of microRNAs 16, 20a, 150 and 155 in anal squamous intraepithelial lesions from high-risk groups

Anal squamous intraepithelial lesions (ASIL) or anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) are precancerous lesions. microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in cervical carcinogenesis, but have never been assessed in anal precancerous lesions. Our aim was to evaluate the expression of miR-16, miR-20a, miR-150 and miR-155 in several grades of ASIL obtained from high-risk patients, submitted to anal cancer screening from July 2016 to January 2017. Lesions were classified according to the Lower Anogenital Squamous Terminology (LAST) in low-grade (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL), and the AIN classification in AIN1, AIN2 and AIN3. A hundred and five biopsies were obtained from 60 patients. Ten samples were negative (9.5%), 63 were LSIL (60%) and 32 were HSIL (30.5%) according to the LAST. Twenty seven (26%) were negative for dysplasia, 46 were classified as AIN1 (44%), 14 as AIN2 (13%) and 18 as AIN3 (17%) according to the AIN classification. There was no statistically significant difference in the fold expression of miR-16, miR-20a, miR-150 and miR-155, according to either classification. Although non- significant, there was an increasing trend in the miR-155 fold expression from negative samples to HSIL, with the highest fold expression increase in both LSIL and HSIL compared to the other miRNAs.