Objective  To describe the expression profiling of microRNAs of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

  Methods  We reduced the scope of downregulated microRNAs in patients with non-small lung cancer by high throughput microarray based on quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In this process, the downregulated microRNAs of non-small cell lung cancer tissues can be detected and compared with adjacent healthy lung tissues with relatively small samples. Different microRNA expression levels in non-small cell lung cancer and adjacent healthy lung tissues were verified in a large sample by RT-PCR.

  Results  A total of 20 types of microRNAs were significantly downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer tissues compared with adjacent healthy lung tissues. These microRNAs were listed as follows: hsa-miR-1; hsa-miR-22; hsa-miR-27a; hsa-miR-27b; hsa-miR-125a-5p; hsa-miR-125b; hsa-miR-142-5p; hsa-miR-143; hsa-miR-148a; hsa-miR-148b; hsa-miR-370; hsa-miR-373; hsa-miR-381; hsa-miR-489; hsa-miR-519a; hsa-miR-376c; hsa-miR-206; hsa-miR-380-5p; hsa-miR-223-5p; and hsa-miR-520c-3p. Among these microRNAs, 13 types were downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer tissues as verified by RTPCR. These 13 types of microRNAs were listed as follows: hsa-miR-125a-5p; hsa-miR-143; hsa-miR-519a; hsa-miR-223-5p; hsa-miR-1; hsa-miR-520c-3p; hsa-miR-489; hsa-miR-27a; hsa-miR-373; hsa-miR-125b; hsa-miR-27b; hsa-miR-142-5p; and hsa-miR-206.

  Conclusion  In non-small lung cancer tissue, several kinds of microRNAs were significantly downregulated. Changes in microRNA expressions were significantly associated with tumorigenesis, progression, or other cancer cell functions in non-small cell lung cancer.