Expression and clinical significance of miR-155 in HPV positive cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of plasma miR-155 in human papilloma virus (HPV)positive cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and evaluate its diagnostic value for HPV positive cervical cancer. Methods One hundred and twenty-six patients with HPV positive cervical cancer (cervical cancer group), and 65 patients with HPV positive CIN (CIN group) and 65 patients with HPV infection or HPV positive uterine benign lesions (control group)were selected in Zhuozhou City Hospital from March 2014 to March 2017. The plasma miRNA-155 level was detected by RT-PCR, and the relationship between expression of miRNA-155 and clinicopathological features of cervical cancer was analyzed. The ROC curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miRNA-155, SCCA and CA125 in patients with HPV positive cervical cancer.Correlation of plasma miRNA-155 and SCCA, CA125 in patients with HPV positive cervical cancer was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Results The levels of miRNA-155, SCCA and CA125 in the cervical cancer group were significantly higher than those in the CIN group and the control group(miRNA-155 (2_-ΔΔCt):(15.28±6.37) vs (9.53±2.26) and (6.27±1.48); SCCA (ng/ml):(10.25±2.47) vs (3.57±0.95) and (0.92±0.24); CA125 (U/ml):(48.72±11.93) vs (20.28±7.46) and (16.73±6.12), all P< 0.01.The expression of plasma miRNA-155 in HPV positive cervical cancer was correlated with clinical stage, lymph node metastasis and depth of invasion (all P< 0.05). The optimal cut-off values of plasma miRNA-155 for diagnosis of HPV positive cervical cancer and CIN were 12.65 and 7.82, and the sensitivity and specificity were 87.2% and 84.6%, 81.3% and 80.4%,respectively. There was a positive correlation between plasma miRNA-155 and SCCA in cervical cancer group (r=0.702, P < 0.01). Conclusion Plasma miRNA-155 is highly expressed in patients with HPV positive cervical cancer and can be used as a biological marker for early diagnosis of HPV positive cervical cancer and for differential diagnosis of CIN.