miRNA expression profiles of HPV-infected cervical cancer patients in the Uyghur population in China

The study examined the infection state of HPV in the Uyghur population with cervical cancer, followed by genotyping to determine the variation in the types of HPV. Using microRNA microarray technology, differential gene expression between HPV-infected cervical cancer and uninfected normal cervical tissues was determined. The microarray results were verified by qRT-PCR using 20 sets of HPV-infected cervical cancer and uninfected cervical tissues. Cervical cancer tissues and uninfected normal mucosa tissues were obtained from the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Xinjiang Medical University Cancer Hospital. All tissues were obtained between June 2012 and June 2013 as fresh specimens from surgical resection, and stored at -80°C until use. There were 30 cervical cancer tissues and 26 normal mucosa tissues. All patients were from the Uyghur population of Xinjiang, China. All cervical specimens were confirmed as squamous cell carcinoma through pathological examination. Prior to tissue sampling, patients had not received any chemotherapy treatment. Samples from the control group were determined to be normal by ThinPrep cytologic tests. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Xinjiang Medical University Cancer Hospital (K-201343), and informed consent was obtained from all patients.