miRNA expression in human colitis-associated dysplasia. miRNA expression in human colitis-associated dysplasia

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are at increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Colitis-associated dysplasia (flat or polypoid) continues to be a reliable marker for CRC in these patients. However, flat lesions are often missed during endoscopy and can rapidly progress to high-grade dysplasia or cancer. microRNAs (miRs), small non-coding RNAs, have emerged as a valuable diagnostic biomarker of human cancer due to their ease of detection and stability. The goal of this study was to identify a miR signature that can serve as a reliable biomarker for the early detection of colitis-associated dysplasia in patients with long-standing colitis. Overall design: The miR expression profiles of laser macrodissected colonic epithelial cells from non-dysplastic inflamed colon, flat and polypoid dysplasia was interrogated using the NanoString Human miRNA Platform (total of 22 patients).