Comprehensive small RNA-sequencing of primary myeloma cells identifies miR-105-5p as a predictor of patient survival

Background Small RNAs (sRNAs), a heterogenous group of non-coding RNAs, are emerging as promising molecules for cancer patient risk stratification and as players in tumour pathogenesis. Here, we have studied microRNAs (miRNAs) and other sRNAs in relation to survival and disease severity in multiple myeloma. Methods We comprehensively characterised sRNA expression in multiple myeloma patients by performing sRNA-sequencing on myeloma cells isolated from bone marrow aspirates of 86 myeloma patients. The sRNA expression profiles were correlated with the patients’ clinical data to investigate associations with survival and disease subgroups, by using cox proportional hazards (coxph) -models and limma-voom , respectively. A publicly available sRNA dataset was used as external validation ( n = 151). Results We show that multiple miRNAs are differentially expressed between ISS Stage I and III. Interestingly, we observed the downregulation of seven different U2 spliceosomal RNAs, a type of small nuclear RNAs in severe disease stages. Further, by a discovery-based approach, we identified miRNA miR-105-5p as a predictor of poor overall survival (OS) in multiple myeloma. Multivariate analysis showed that miR-105-5p predict OS independently of established disease markers. Conclusions Overexpression of miR-105-5p in myeloma cells correlates with reduced OS, potentially improving prognostic risk stratification in multiple myeloma.