COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR MICRO-RNA EXPESSION PROFILING OF HEPATOCELLULAR CANCER

摘要

The present invention relates compositions and methods for microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling of hepatocellular cancer. In particular, the invention relates to a diagnostic kit of molecular markers for identifying one or more mammalian target cells exhibiting or having a predisposition to develop hepatocellular cancer, the kit comprising a plurality of nucleic acid molecules, each nucleic acid molecule encoding a microRNA sequence, wherein one or more of the plurality of nucleic acid molecules are differentially expressed in the target cells and in one or more control cells, and wherein the one or more differentially expressed nucleic acid molecules together represent a nucleic acid expression signature that is indicative for the presence of or the predisposition to develop hepatocellular cancer. The invention further relates to corresponding methods using such nucleic acid expression signatures for identifying one or more mammalian target cells exhibiting or having a predisposition to develop hepatocellular cancer as well as for preventing or treating such a condition. Finally, the invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and/or treatment of hepatocellular cancer.