Global microRNA profiling identified miR‐10b‐5p as a regulator of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1)‐glioma migration

Aims Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is an autosomal‐dominant cancer predisposition syndrome caused by loss of function alterations involving the NF1 locus on chromosome 17. The most common brain tumours encountered in affected patients are low‐grade gliomas (pilocytic astrocytomas), although high‐grade gliomas are also observed at increased frequency. While bi‐allelic NF1 loss characterizes these tumours, previous studies have suggested noncoding RNA molecules (microRNA, miR) may have important roles in dictating glioma biology. Methods To explore the contributions of miRs in NF1‐associated gliomas, we analysed five high‐grade gliomas (NF1‐HGG) and five PAs (NF1‐PA) using global microRNA profiling with NanoString‐based microarrays followed by functional experiments with glioma cell lines. Results miR‐10b‐5p, miR‐135b‐5p, miR‐196a‐5p, miR‐196b‐5p, miR‐1247‐5p and miR‐320a (adjusted P 3‐fold in NF1‐HGG relative to NF1‐PA tumours. In addition, miR‐378b and miR‐1305 were decreased 6.8‐ and 6‐fold, respectively, whereas miR‐451a was increased 2.7‐fold (adjusted P