Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of miR-125a-5p in patients with dyspeptic symptoms and gastric cancer, correlating them with the development of this cancer and H. pylori.
Methods: Patients were divided in groups according to histopathological analysis (control, gastritis, and cancer groups). Polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect H. pylori and real-time quantitative PCR to determine miR-125a-5p expression.
Results: H. pylori was detected in 44% of the patients, with prevalence in the gastritis and cancer groups. A statistically significant decrease of miR-125a-5p expression was found in the control positive (p = 0.0183*), gastritis positive (p = 0.0380*), and cancer positive (p = 0.0288*) groups when compared with the control negative group.
Conclusion: We suggest that decreased expression of the miRNA-125a-5p associated with the presence of the H. pylori is an important mechanism in gastric diseases and could be a possible marker for early diagnosis of gastric cancer.
Keywords: Gastric Cancer; Gastric disease; Helicobacter pylori; miRNA-125a-5p.