Four microRNAs Signature for Survival Prognosis in Colon Cancer using TCGA Data

This study aims to develop microRNA expression signature for colon cancer survival prognosis based on the Cancer Genomic Common database. miRNAs levels between colon cancer and non-cancer tissues were screened by t-test (p < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival method was used to discriminate survival significant miRNAs, followed by miRNAs index accumulation to power the miRNAs-survival reliability. In the end, we test the selected miRNAs in HT126 colon cancer cells to validate its anti-cancer effect. The study identified a 84-miRNAs signature. Of the above 84 miRNAs, we got four miRNAs which were survival associated by using ROC curve method and Kaplan-Meier survival method (p < 0.001). The result showed that low risk group had quite a low death rate, the survival rate was over 80%. The high risk group had survival rate lower than 20%, which was also extremely lower than the overall survival rate. In the HT126 cells study, cell growth assay showed miR-130a sponge inhibited colon cancer cells growth and sensitized the anti-cancer drug effect of 5-FU to blocked cancer cell growth. We developed a prognostic 4-microRNA expression signature for colon cancer patient survival, and validated miR-130a sponge could sensitized 5-FU anti-cancer effect.