• Role miR-21 as a potential biomarker in Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
  • Amirarsalan Ahmadi,1 Narges javadi,2 Mobina Nasr esfahani,3 Mehrnoosh maleki,4 Shaghayegh beheshtinezhad,5 Nasrin zare,6,*
    1. School of Medicine, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran and Clinical research Development Centre, Najafabad branch, Islamic Azad university, Najafabad, Iran
    2. School of Medicine, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran and Clinical research Development Centre, Najafabad branch, Islamic Azad university, Najafabad, Iran
    6. School of Medicine, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran 2 Clinical research Development Centre, Najafabad branch, Islamic Azad university, Najafabad, Iran


  • Introduction: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is classified as a subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, accounting for 30-40% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Based on gene expression profiling (GEP), DLBCL is divided into two molecular subgroups, active b-cell-like (ABC) and the germinal B-cell-like (GBC) (1), (2), and (3). The miRNAs (microRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNAs that participate in the post-transcriptional control of target gene expression that makes cellular identity. miRNAs are the 19-23 nucleotide RNAs that play a critical role in regulating cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in tumors (4) and (5). Overexpression of miR-21 has been well characterized in association with some of tumor types including lung, breast, stomach, prostate, colon, and pancreatic tumors. For example, the miR-21 level increased in glioblastoma, and also miR-21 had antiapoptotic properties. In addition, some studies have shown the correlation between overexpression of mir21 and poor outcomes in cancer treatment (6), (7), (8), and (9). The purpose of the current review study was to investigate the role of miR-21 as a potential biomarker in Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).
  • Methods: We assessed the most recent studies on miR-21 in different lymphoma types. The publications were identified by searching PubMed. Then studies were selected based on keywords ((“Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma” OR “DLBCL”) AND “miR-21”).
  • Results: Increasing evidence has shown that miR-21 as an oncomiR play an important role in lymphoma. knocking down miR-21 has demonstrated that miR- 21 is increased under inflammatory conditions. Therefore, miR-21 could be helpful in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of DLBCL.
  • Conclusion: Mir-21 could be suggested as a potential biomarker for DLBCL diagnoses or a prognostic factor. Moreover, the mentioned microRNA may also be promising therapeutic targets. However, it is necessary to do some cohort studies in the future.
  • Keywords: Biomarker, DLBCL, miR-21, miRNA