• George Adrian Calin, Manuela Ferracin, Amelia Cimmino, Gianpiero Di Leva, Masayoshi Shimizu, Sylwia E Wojcik, Marilena V Iorio, Rosa Visone, Nurettin Ilfer Sever, Muller Fabbri, Rodolfo Iuliano, Tiziana Palumbo, Flavia Pichiorri, Claudia Roldo, Ramiro Garzon, Cinzia Sevignani, Laura Rassenti, Hansjuerg Alder, Stefano Volinia, Chang-gong Liu, Thomas J Kipps, Massimo Negrini, and Carlo M Croce.
• Department of Molecular Virology, Immunology, and Medical Genetics and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
• N. Engl. J. Med. 2005 Oct 27; 353 (17): 179318011793-801.

BackgroundMicroRNA expression profiles can be used to distinguish normal B cells from malignant B cells in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We investigated whether microRNA profiles are associated with known prognostic factors in CLL.MethodsWe evaluated the microRNA expression profiles of 94 samples of CLL cells for which the level of expression of 70-kD zeta-associated protein (ZAP-70), the mutational status of the rearranged immunoglobulin heavy-chain variable-region (IgV(H) ) gene, and the time from diagnosis to initial treatment were known. We also investigated the genomic sequence of 42 microRNA genes to identify abnormalities.ResultsA unique microRNA expression signature composed of 13 genes (of 190 analyzed) differentiated cases of CLL with low levels of ZAP-70 expression from those with high levels and cases with unmutated IgV(H) from those with mutated IgV(H) . The same microRNA signature was also associated with the presence or absence of disease progression. We also identified a germ-line mutation in the miR-16-1-miR-15a primary precursor, which caused low levels of microRNA expression in vitro and in vivo and was associated with deletion of the normal allele. Germ-line or somatic mutations were found in 5 of 42 sequenced microRNAs in 11 of 75 patients with CLL, but no such mutations were found in 160 subjects without cancer (P<0.001).ConclusionsA unique microRNA signature is associated with prognostic factors and disease progression in CLL. Mutations in microRNA transcripts are common and may have functional importance.Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.

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