Identification of plasma microRNA-22 as a marker for the diagnosis, prognosis, and chemosensitivity prediction of osteosarcoma

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNA (miR)-22 plays crucial roles in malignant tumors and is involved in regulation of chemosensitivity. Additionally, altered expression of circulating miR-22 has been reported in various cancers. This study was designed to investigate plasma miR-22 expression in patients with osteosarcoma (OS) and determine its diagnostic, prognostic, and chemosensitivity prediction value. METHODS: Plasma miR-22 levels in 120 patients with OS and 120 healthy controls were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Associations of plasma miR-22 expression with the patients’ clinicopathological features and prognosis were then assessed. RESULTS: Plasma miR-22 levels in patients with OS were significantly lower than those in healthy controls. Low plasma miR-22 levels were correlated with large tumor size, advanced clinical stages, positive distant metastasis, and poor tumor response to preoperative chemotherapy. Plasma miR-22 could discriminate OS patients from controls and distinguish patients with a good response to therapy from those with a poor response to therapy. Multivariate analysis revealed that low plasma miR-22 expression was a significant independent predictor of unfavorable prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Altered plasma levels of miR-22 might serve as a novel, noninvasive biomarker for OS diagnosis, prognosis, and chemosensitivity prediction.