MicroRNA isolation and quantification in cerebrospinal fluid: A comparative methodical study

PLoS One. 2018 Dec 7;13(12):e0208580. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208580. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Associated with the pathogenesis of many cancers, including brain tumors, microRNAs (miRNAs) present promising diagnostic biomarkers. These molecules have been also studied in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), showing great potential as a diagnostic tool in patients with brain tumors. Even though there are some biological and technological factors that could affect the results and their biological and clinical interpretation, miRNA analysis in CSF is not fully standardized. This study aims to compare several RNA extraction and miRNA quantification approaches, including high-throughput technologies and individual miRNA detection methods, thereby contributing to the optimization and standardization of quantification of extracellular miRNAs in CSF. Such knowledge is essential for the potential use of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers in brain tumors.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chemical Fractionation / methods*
  • Glioblastoma / genetics
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / cerebrospinal fluid*
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / isolation & purification*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reference Standards

Substances

  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This work was financially supported by the Czech Ministry of Health grant no. 15-34553A to OS. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.