Identifying small non-coding RNAs as biomarkers for cervical cancer.

person Josephine Peitz University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD info_outline Josephine Peitz, Arica Stockett, Kiranpreet Chawla, Diana N. Carvajal, Amy Plotkin, Paul Staats, Clement Adebayo Adebamowo, Sally Nneoma Adebamowo

Authors person Josephine Peitz University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD info_outline Josephine Peitz, Arica Stockett, Kiranpreet Chawla, Diana N. Carvajal, Amy Plotkin, Paul Staats, Clement Adebayo Adebamowo, Sally Nneoma Adebamowo Organizations University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD Abstract Disclosures Research Funding Other Foundation American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant RSG-22-079-01-CSCT Background: Small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) that control post-transcriptional gene expression are attractive candidate molecular targets for cancer screening tests. We evaluated whether sncRNAs expression are markedly different in benign, precancerous, and cancerous cervical tissue. Methods: We examined the expression of six sncRNA species: circular RNAs (circRNAs) microRNAs (miRNAs), piwi-interacting RNA (piRNAs), small nuclear RNA (snRNAs), small nucleolar RNA (snoRNAs), and transfer RNA (tRNA), from archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical specimen obtained from 172 women (74 benign, 58 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 40 invasive cervical cancer). We used DESeq2 to identify differentially expressed sncRNA molecules with adjusted p-value < 0.05 and at least 2-fold up- or down-regulation. Results: Comparing benign to HSIL samples, we foundseveral statistically significant, differentially expressed sncRNAs: 906 circRNAs (*circ_0066810, p=3.76x10 -16 ), 87 miRNAs (*miR-149-5p, p=1.30x10 -14 ), 11 piRNAs (*piR_016945, p=8.32x10 -13 ), 32 snRNAs (*RNU1-17P, p=1.90x10 -10 ), 5 snoRNAs (*SCARNA18, p=1.35x10 -5 ), and 24 tRNA (*tRNA-Glu-TTC-8-1, p=6.45x10 -17 ). Comparing benign to invasive cervical cancer samples, we also foundseveral statistically significant, differentially expressed sncRNAs: 3,192 circRNAs (*circ_0123115, p=7.46x10 -50 ), 325 miRNAs (*miR-7-5p, p=6.72x10 -36 ), 82 piRNAs (*piR-hsa-27513, p=1.44x10 -15 ), 71 snRNAs (*RNU1-20P, p=1.37x10 -45 ), 52 snoRNAs (*SNORD95, p=1.68x10 -23 ), and 68 tRNA (*tRNA-Cys-GCA-9-3, p=1.01x10 -21 ). * Indicates the sncRNA with the smallest p-value, for each specie. Conclusions: Our results identify sncRNAs with potential utility of as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, and therapeutic targets for cervical precancer and cancer.