Jang Jiwon, Kim Ji Min, Shin Sung-Chan, Cheon Yong-Il, Kim Bo Hyun, Kim Mijin, Kim Sang Soo, Lee Byung-Joo
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Pusan National University and Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea.
Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National University and Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan 49241, Republic of Korea.
Cancers (Basel). 2025 Jun 21;17(13):2079. doi: 10.3390/cancers17132079.
MicroRNAs are emerging as valuable diagnostic markers for various diseases, including papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, there is limited research on circulating miRNA expression in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). Therefore, we conducted a study to explore whether plasma-derived miRNAs can distinguish PTMC from benign nodules or predict aggressiveness. A total of 150 patients who underwent thyroidectomy from January 2013 to July 2021 were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into three groups: benign, low-risk PTMC, and advanced PTMC. Nine patients from each group were selected for microarray analysis for plasma miRNAs. Six miRNAs were selected for comparison of expression levels using TaqMan assay. The ROC curve was utilized to evaluate the diagnostic and aggressiveness value of the miRNAs. From the microarray analysis, miR-455-3p and miR-548ac were identified as miRNAs that can significantly differentiate between benign nodules and PTMC. A combination of six miRNAs (miR-455-3p, miR-548ac., miR-221, miR-222, miR-146a. miR-146b) rather than individual miRNAs had the highest AUC (0.857), sensitivity (0.867), and specificity (0.800) in differentiating benign and PTMC. In microarray analysis, no significant miRNAs were observed to distinguish between low-risk group and aggressive PTMC. However, in the six-miRNA combination, it was possible to distinguish low-risk PTMC from aggressive PTMC with an AUC of 0.763, sensitivity of 0.739, and the specificity of 0.727. A combination of six miRNAs presents the possibility of distinguishing between benign and PTMC and low-risk and aggressive PTMC with an acceptable AUC, sensitivity, and specificity.
微小RNA正成为包括甲状腺乳头状癌（PTC）在内的各种疾病的重要诊断标志物。然而，关于甲状腺微小乳头状癌（PTMC）中循环miRNA表达的研究有限。因此，我们开展了一项研究，以探讨血浆来源的miRNA能否区分PTMC与良性结节或预测侵袭性。本研究纳入了2013年1月至2021年7月期间接受甲状腺切除术的150例患者。患者分为三组：良性、低风险PTMC和进展期PTMC。每组选取9例患者进行血浆miRNA的微阵列分析。使用TaqMan分析选择6种miRNA进行表达水平比较。利用ROC曲线评估miRNA的诊断和侵袭性价值。通过微阵列分析，miR-455-3p和miR-548ac被确定为可显著区分良性结节和PTMC的miRNA。六种miRNA（miR-455-3p、miR-548ac、miR-221、miR-222、miR-146a、miR-146b）的组合而非单个miRNA在区分良性和PTMC方面具有最高的AUC（0.857）、敏感性（0.867）和特异性（0.800）。在微阵列分析中，未观察到可区分低风险组和侵袭性PTMC的显著miRNA。然而，在六种miRNA组合中，可以区分低风险PTMC和侵袭性PTMC，AUC为0.763，敏感性为0.739，特异性为0.727。六种miRNA的组合有可能以可接受的AUC、敏感性和特异性区分良性与PTMC以及低风险与侵袭性PTMC。
