Urinary exosomal expression of long non-coding RNAs as diagnostic marker in bladder cancer

Fatemeh Yazarlou,1 Mohammad Hossein Modarressi,1 Seyed Javad Mowla,2 Vahid Kholghi Oskooei,3 Elahe Motevaseli,4 Leila Farhady Tooli,5 Leila Nekoohesh,6 Maryam Eghbali,1 Soudeh Ghafouri-Fard,3 Mandana Afsharpad7 1Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 2Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Genetics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran; 3Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran; 6Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 7Cancer Control Research Center, Cancer Control Foundation, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and exosomes have been regarded as components of cell signal transmission that modulate indigenous cellular microenvironments. Exosomes also participate in relocation of functional lncRNAs between cells. Methods: In the present study, we evaluated expression of LINC00355, LINC00958, UCA1-201, UCA1-203, and MALAT1 lncRNAs in urinary exosomes isolated from transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of bladder, non-malignant urinary disorders, and normal subjects. Results: LINC00355, UCA1-203, and MALAT1 expression was significantly higher in TCC patients compared to controls (non-malignant or normal samples). However, UCA1-201 expression was significantly decreased in TCC patients compared with controls. LINC00355 and MALAT1 expression was significantly lower in cigarette smokers and opium-addicted TCC patients, respectively. On the other hand, LINC00355 expression tended to be higher in opium-addicted TCC patients. The proposed panel of lncRNAs (composed of UCA1-201, UCA1-203, MALAT1, and LINC00355) had 92% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity for diagnosis of bladder cancer from normal samples. Conclusion: Transcript levels of lncRNAs in urinary exosomes are potential diagnostic biomarkers in bladder cancer. Keywords: lncRNA, exosome, bladder cancer