Microarray analysis revealed markedly differential miRNA expression profiles in cervical intraepithelial neoplasias and invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

Aims: To investigate the alterations in miRNA expression during the progression of dysplasia in cervical epithelium. Methods: A global miRNA expression profile of normal cervical squamous epithelium (Normal), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (ISCC) was produced using the seventh generation of the miRCURY (TM) LNA microRNA Array (Exiqon, Vedbaek, Denmark). The reliability of miRNA arrays was verified by reverse transcription PCR. Results: Normal, CIN 3 and ISCC showed distinct miRNA expression profiles. The differentially expressed miRNAs in ISCC versus CIN 3 clearly differed from that in CIN 3 versus Normal. Compared with ISCC versus Normal, more identical miRNAs were found in ISCC versus CIN 3 than in CIN 3 versus Normal. Conclusion: A particular set of miRNAs was associated with the progression of normal cervical epithelium to CIN 3 and CIN 3 to ISCC. The miRNA profile changed more noticeably in the progression of CIN to ISCC than normal cervical epithelium to CIN.