Visual analytics identifies key miRNAs for differentiating peripancreatic paraganglioma and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jun 13:14:1162725. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1162725. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Introduction: Paragangliomas (PGL), a type of neuroendocrine tumor, pose a significant diagnostic challenge due to their potential for unpredictable locations and asymptomatic presentation. Misdiagnosis of peripancreatic PGLs, particularly as pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PANNETs), is a pressing issue as it can negatively impact both pre- and post-treatment decision-making. The aim of our study was to identify microRNA markers for the reliable differential diagnosis of peripancreatic PGLs and PANNETs, addressing a crucial unmet need in the field and advancing the standard of care for these patients.

Methods: Morphing projections tool was used to analyze miRNA data from PGL and PANNET tumors present in the TCGA database. The findings were validated using two additional databases: GSE29742 and GSE73367.

Results: Our research uncovered substantial differences in the miRNA expression profiles of PGL and PANNET, leading to the identification of 6 key miRNAs (miR-10b-3p, miR-10b-5p, and the miRNA families miR-200c/141 and miR-194/192) that can effectively differentiate between the two types of tumors.

Discussion: These miRNA levels hold potential as biomarkers for improved diagnosis, offering a solution to the diagnostic challenge posed by these tumors and potentially improving the standard of care for patients.

Keywords: diagnosis; microRNA; pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors; paraganglioma; visual analytic.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Databases, Factual
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs* / genetics
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors* / diagnosis
  • Neuroendocrine Tumors* / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / diagnosis
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Paraganglioma* / diagnosis
  • Paraganglioma* / genetics

Substances

  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This research has been funded by the Spanish National Research Agency under grant number PID2020-115401GB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project PI20/01754 co-funded by the European Union, the Network Biomedical Research Center–Cancer (CIBERONC), the Spanish Group of Orphan and Infrequent Tumors (GETHI) and the PHEiPAS Association.