Arman Akbarpour - Department of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University of Shahrekord Branch, Shahrekord, Iran
Mansoor Salehi - Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
Parisa Mohammadinejad - Biology Dept., Shahr e Kord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahr e Kord, I.R. of Iran

Background: microRNAs (miRNAs) are short (20-24 nt) non-coding RNAs that are involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in multicellular organisms by affecting both the stability and translation of mRNAs. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by an accumulation of mature CD5+ B cells that are dependent on micro environmental support, and genetic mutations. The aim of the present study was to compare the expression level of mir-338-3p in normal and neoplastic samples from CLL patients by RT-qPCR.Methods: In the present case-control study, 15 blood samples from patients with CLL and 15 blood samples from healthy group under the direct supervision of a pathologist specialist due to clinical presentation and laboratory findings were collected. After extracting RNA from normal and tumor blood samples, cDNA synthesis method according to the protocol and RT-qPCR was performed. mir-338-3p expression level was calculated using ΔΔCT. All data were analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The results of RT-qPCR indicated that miR-338-3p down-regulation was significantly correlated with CLL cancer clinic pathological features. Expression level of mir-338-3p was 25.68% and 74.32% in CLL patients and healthy group respectively (p value=0.001).Conclusion: Due to the previous reports, mir-338-3p act as tumor suppressor in CLL, which could be used as biomarker for CLL diagnosis. In this study we propose that miR-338-3p is a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of CLL.

CLL, microRNA, mir-338-3p, RT-qPCR