RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Unlocking Pathology Archives for MicroRNA-profiling JF Anticancer Research JO Anticancer Res FD International Institute of Anticancer Research SP 119 OP 123 VO 28 IS 1A A1 KAI P. HOEFIG A1 CHRISTOPH THORNS A1 ANJA ROEHLE A1 CHRISTIAN KAEHLER A1 KAI O. WESCHE A1 DIRK REPSILBER A1 BIGGI BRANKE A1 MARLEN THIERE A1 ALFRED C. FELLER A1 HARTMUT MERZ YR 2008 UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/28/1A/119.abstract AB Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22 nucleotide long, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression by binding to the 3′-untranslated region of target mRNAs and also a variety of cellular processes. It has recently been established that dysregulation of miRNA expression can be detected in the majority of human cancers. A variety of high-throughput screening methods has been developed to identify dysregulated miRNA species in tumours. For retrospective clinical studies formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue is the most widely used material. Materials and Methods: The miRNA expression profiles of freshly frozen (CRYO) and FFPE tissues of seven tonsil and four liver samples were compared, using a qPCR-based assay, profiling 157 miRNA species. Results: The significance of miRNA-profiles was barely influenced by FFPE treatment in both tissues and the variance induced by FFPE treatment was much smaller than the variance caused by biologically based differential expression. Conclusion: FFPE material is well suited for miRNA profiling.