Evaluation of the role of miR-424 in patients with prostate cancer

Abstract

The prostate is a vital accessory organ in the male reproductive system, essential for producing secretions that promote sperm health. Positioned beneath the bladder [0.5p], prostate cancer is one of the five most common cancers among men and is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer globally, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2024 [P1]. In 2020, there were 1,414,000 new cases of prostate cancer, resulting in 375,304 deaths. Epigenetics examines heritable changes in gene expression that occur without modifying the DNA sequence itself (22). Epigenetic modifications include alterations in chromatin composition and structure, irregular DNA methylation patterns, disrupted histone posttranslational modification (PTM) patterns, and the regulation of non-coding RNA (23,24). miRNAs are an essential group of short noncoding RNAs, approximately 22 nucleotides (22 nt) in length, that negatively regulate gene expression at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level. These molecules also play a vital role in regulating essential biological processes such as cell division and growth proliferation (45-46). This study aims to investigate the role of non-coding RNA miR-424 in patients with prostate cancer, as well as in a control group. Sixty blood samples from individuals aged 45-60 years were collected from general hospitals, which included 40 prostate cancer patients and 20 healthy controls. Blood samples were used for DNA and RNA extraction. The NanoDrop device was used to measure the purity of miR-424, and the gene expression data were analyzed using Q-PCR.