Assessment of miRNA 106a-5p and 375-3p Expression in the Context of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway—Comparison of Prostate Adenocarcinoma and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Tissues

Prostate adenocarcinoma is mainly diagnosed based on serum PSA levels, but elevated PSA levels can also be caused by BPH, which weakens its specificity. Recent scientific studies have demonstrated that specific microRNAs regulate cancer cell proliferation by modulating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. To date, no published literature has provided a comprehensive assessment of the interactions between miR-106a-5p and miR-375-3p and components of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in prostate cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to perform a pilot evaluation of the expression of miRNAs 106a-5p and 375-3p, as well as β-catenin, Fzd8, Wnt5a, and cyclin D1 in prostate adenocarcinoma compared with BPH. The study material consisted of samples collected from 30 patients with prostate cancer and 30 with BPH. Protein expression was analyzed using IHC and qRT-PCR methods, while miRNA levels were quantified by dPCR. Our study results revealed lower immunoreactivity and expression of genes encoding β-catenin, Fzd8, Wnt5a and cyclin D1, and significantly higher fluorescence intensity of miRNA 106a-5p and 375-3p with prostate adenocarcinoma compared BPH. Interactions between miR-106a-5p and miR-375-3p and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway highlight distinct molecular differences between prostate cancer and BPH and indicate new perspectives for the development of diagnostic biomarkers in prostate diseases.