Combinatorial analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)_miRNA

miRNAs are known to be involved in PDAC tumorigenesis, but only a few biologically relevant gene targets have been identified. Here we show that three miRNAs (miR-21, miR-23a and miR-27a) act in concert for the cooperative suppression of several tumor suppressor genes of which we experimentally validated PDCD4, BTG2 and NEDD4L. The synergistic inhibition of this triple miRNA combination is capable of reducing PDAC growth in a mouse model greater than inhibition of oncomiR-21 alone. Patients samples of normal pancreas (n=9) or pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC; n=9) were retrieved during surgery and placed in RNA Later stabilization fluid and then kept at minus 80 until required.