PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - MEIKE SPIEKERMANN
AU  - KLAUS-PETER DIECKMANN
AU  - THOMAS BALKS
AU  - JÖRN BULLERDIEK
AU  - GAZANFER BELGE
TI  - Is Relative Quantification Dispensable for the Measurement of MicroRNAs as Serum Biomarkers in Germ Cell Tumors?
DP  - 2015 Jan 01
TA  - Anticancer Research
PG  - 117--121
VI  - 35
IP  - 1
4099  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/35/1/117.short
4100  - http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/35/1/117.full
SO  - Anticancer Res2015 Jan 01; 35
AB  - Background: Classical biomarkers α-fetoprotein, β-human chorionic gonadotropin and lactate dehydrogenase (AFP, bHCG and LDH) are elevated in only 60% of all testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) patients. microRNAs (miRNAs) are a novel class of useful biomarkers in cancer and miRNAs of the miR-371-3 cluster were proven to be valuable markers for TGCT patients. Materials and Methods: We compared the Ct and ΔCt values of miR-371-3 by real time PCR (qPCR) with and without 18S rRNA for normalization. Expression of miR-371a-3p, miR-372 and miR-373-3p was measured in 25 TGCTs, 4 non-TGCTs and 17 age-matched male controls. Results: A highly positive correlation between Ct and ΔCt values was found in all samples. The highest correlation was found for miR-371a-3p (R2: 0.956). Conclusion: Results show that qPCR can be used without endogenous control for analyzing miR-371-3 in the serum of patients with testicular cancer and male controls if the technical procedure is performed under controlled conditions.