USE OF RUNX3 AND MIR-532-5P AS CANCER MARKERS AND THERAPEUTIC TARGETS
The invention relates to methods for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment based on the expression or activity levels of RUNX3 and miR-532-5p. Also disclosed is a method of reducing the inhibition of RUNX3 by miR-532-5p with an agent that interferes with the interaction between RUNX3 and miR-532-5p transcripts.
1 - 8 . (canceled)
20 . A method of detecting cancer, comprising:
providing a test biological sample from a subject;
determining a test expression level of miR-532-5p in the test sample;
determining that the subject is likely to be suffering from cancer when the test expression level of miR-532-5p in the test sample is higher than that in a normal sample.
21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the cancer is melanoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, pancreas cancer, colon cancer, or esophagus cancer.
22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the cancer is primary or metastatic.
23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the test biological sample is a tumor tissue sample or a body fluid sample.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where cancer may originate or metastasize.
25 . The method for claim 24 , wherein the cancer is melanoma and the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where melanoma may originate consisting of skin, bowel and eye.
26 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the cancer is melanoma and the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where melanoma may metastasize, consisting of stomach, esophagus, bowel, lung, brain, skin, lymph node and breast.
27 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the body fluid sample is selected from a group of body fluids that may contain cancer cells consisting of blood, serum, plasma, bone marrow, cerebral spinal fluid, peritoneal/pleural fluid, lymph fluid, ascite, serous fluid, sputum, lacrimal fluid, stool and urine.
28 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising determining a test RUNX3 gene expression level or a test RUNX3 protein activity level in the test sample.
29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the RUNX3 gene expression or protein activity level in the test sample is lower than that in the normal sample.
30 . A method of detecting cancer, comprising:
providing a first sample containing cancer cells;
determining the expression level of miR-532-5p in the first sample; and
detecting a cancer in the first sample that is likely to be at a more advanced stage than that in a second sample when the expression level of miR-532-5p in the first sample is higher than that in the second sample.
31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the cancer is melanoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, pancreas cancer, colon cancer, or esophagus cancer.
32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the cancer is primary or metastatic.
33 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the test biological sample is a tumor tissue sample or a body fluid sample.
34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where cancer may originate or metastasize.
35 . The method for claim 34 , wherein the cancer is melanoma and the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where melanoma may originate consisting of skin, bowel and eye.
36 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the cancer is melanoma and the tumor tissue sample is selected from a group of tissues where melanoma may metastasize, consisting of stomach, esophagus, bowel, lung, brain, skin, lymph node and breast.
37 . The method of claim 33 , wherein the body fluid sample is selected from a group of body fluids that may contain cancer cells consisting of blood, serum, plasma, bone marrow, cerebral spinal fluid, peritoneal/pleural fluid, lymph fluid, ascite, serous fluid, sputum, lacrimal fluid, stool and urine.
38 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising determining a test RUNX3 gene expression level or a test RUNX3 protein activity level in the test sample.
39 . The method of claim 38 , wherein the RUNX3 gene expression or protein activity level in the test sample is lower than that in the normal sample.