Colorectal tumors are mostly of epithelial origin and represent a wide spectrum of neoplasms. About 97% of colorectal cancer originating from benign lesions of adenomatous polyps are adenocarcinomas. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating from mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations and microRNAs (miRNAs) are associated with oncogene and tumor suppressor genes regulation which are known to parallel the tissue abnormalities involved with tumorigenesis such as colorectal adenoma to adenocarcinoma. However, the differential expression patterns of mitochondrial associated microRNAs (referred as MitomiRs) among colorectal adenomatous polyps progression is yet to be determined. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the differential expressions profiles of MitomiRs (miR-24, miR-181, miR-210, miR-21 and miR378) in patients with colorectal adenomatous polyps tissues in correlation with clinicopathological tumor architectures of tubular, tubulovillous, villous adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Isolation of mitochondria RNA from colorectal adenomatous polyps, adenocarcinomas, and normal adjacent tissue samples was performed and assessed for mitochondrial associated miRNAs expression differences using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. Data from this study demonstrates that mitochondria genome expression of mitomiRNAs; miR-24, miR-181, miR-210, miR-21 and miR-378 in colorectal tissue samples varies among the adenomatous polyps. Expression of mitomiRNAs 24, 181, 210 and 378 progressively increased from the precancerous of adenomatous polyps to adenocarcinoma. In addition, miR-210 and miR-181 expression increased 3 folds in villous adenomas and greater than 3 folds increased in miR378 in adenocarcinoma (p < 0.005) when compared to tubular adenoma. Meanwhile, miR-21 increased progressively in adenoma tissues but decreased almost 2.5 folds in adenocarcinomas when compared to villous adenoma tissues (p < 0.001). These results suggest mitomiRs may regulate important mitochondrial functional pathways leading to a more favorable environment for transformation or progression of colorectal adenomatous polyps into adenocarcinomas.

Glioblastoma is an aggressive brain cancer that attacks the central nervous system. The glioblastoma survival rate is five percent and an average of fifteen months after diagnosis despite the current treatments. New advanced treatment needs to be developed to increase the survival rates. A solution to this problem would be to study how glioblastoma works and stop the spread of this cancer. At the Transgenic Zebrafish Core Facility, mentored by Dr. Rajpurohit, we are developing a transgenic, transparent Zebrafish strain to study the morphology, function, and the developmental biology of the proteins NF-KB, the Annexin-5, brain resident macrophage, and the microglia in normal and diseased organisms. First, we will create this strain by cross breeding the Casper transparent mutant with transgenic strains. The Casper contributes to the study by integrating a transparent characteristic in adult zebrafish that allows for simpler visualization and observation of the transgenic strains. Then, we will screen and sort the transgenic progeny and use in vivo imaging to observe the morphology in the zebrafish larval population using the confocal and fluorescent microscopy to determine which fluorescent protein is being activated.

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Colorectal cancer (CRC) survival rates are stage related and majority of patients (75%) with CRC have sporadic of the disease which is in form of adenoma. Most of colorectal adenocarcinomas precursors are adenomatous polyps. Moreover, CRC appears to be an age related disease and studies have shown that mutations in mtDNA appear to accumulate with age because of inadequate repair. Also, oxidative stress has been shown to affect mitochondrial proteins resulting in a decrease of mitochondrial function associated with the precursor lesions of cancer. Recent findings suggest that the mitochondrion has sequences that code for certain miRNA which can regulate different pathways frequently dysregulated in cancer including colorectal cancer (CRC). Isolation of mitochondria RNA from colorectal precancerous polyps, cancer, and normal adjacent tissue samples was performed and assessed for gene expression differences using quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We demonstrate that mitochondria genome expression of miRNAs miR-24, miR 181, miR 210, and miR 21 in colorectal tissue samples varies during disease progression. Expression of microRNAs 24, 181, and 210 progressively increased from the earliest precancerous polyp to cancer. In addition, miR-210 and miR-181 expression increased 3 folds in villous adenomas when compared to tubular adenoma. Meanwhile, miR 21 increased progressively in adenoma tissues but decreased almost 4 folds in cancer tissues when compared to villous adenoma tissue. These results suggest miRNAs within the mitochondria genome may regulate important mitochondrial functional pathways leading to a more favorable environment for transformation or progression of adenomas to cancerous tumors. Citation Format: LaShanale M. Wallace, Aneese F. Chaudhry, Karen I. Aikhionbare, Xuebiao Yao, Felix O. Aikhionbare. Role of microRNAs in colorectal adenoma progression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1804.