microRNA profile of high-grade B-cell lymphoma with 11q aberration

Background: High-grade B-cell lymphoma with 11q aberration (HGBCL-11q) is a rare germinal centre lymphoma with a typical gain/loss pattern on chromosome 11q, but without MYC translocation and with some features resembling Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and HGBCLs or germinal centre derived diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (GCB-DLBCL-NOS). The microRNA expression profile of HGBCL-11q is not characterised. We aim to analyse miRNA expression profile in HGBCL-11q, BL and in GCB-DLBCL-NOS. Methods: Next generation sequencing (NGS)-based microRNA profiling was performed for HGBCL-11q (n=6), BL (n=8), and also GCB-DLBCL-NOS without (n=3) and with MYC rearrangement (MYC-R) (n=7). Results: We identified 39 and 64 miRNAs differentiating HGBCL-11q from BL, and from GCB-DLBCL-NOS without MYC-R, respectively. We found that the expression level of miR-223-3p, miR-193b-3p, miR-29b-3p and miR-146a-5p simultaneously differentiated HGBCL-11q from BL, as well as from GCB-DLBCL-NOS without MYC-R. We found higher miRNA profile heterogeneity in HGBCL-11q than in BL. The analysis of MYC-regulated miRNA showed different profile in HGBCL-11q and in BL but demonstrated separation of HGBCL-11q and BL from GCB-DLBCL-NOS cases. Conclusion: microRNA profile of HGBCL-11q is different than that of BL and of GCB-DLBCL-NOS but more heterogeneous compared to BL. To investigate the profile of microRNA expression in HGBL-11q in comparison with BL, and also with GCB DLBCL,NOS without and with MYC rearrangement (MYC-R) we have used total RNA isolated from freshly frozen cell aspirates of above mentioned aggressive lymphomas tumours and performed next generation sequencing.