Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41612480›Full record

SynthesisSystematic reviews2026

MicroRNAs as potential prognostic biomarkers in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and bioinformatics study.

Samaneh Toutounchian, Kiyarash Behboodi, Mona Alinejadfard, Parmida Bagheri, Maedeh Mohaghegh, Kasra Izadpanahi, Fatemeh Mohagheghian, Najmeh Salehi, Zahra Eghbali, Zahra Salehi

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Systematic reviews, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Samaneh ToutounchianSchool of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Kiyarash BehboodiSchool of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mona AlinejadfardDepartment of Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Parmida BagheriDepartment of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
Maedeh MohagheghCell Therapy and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Kasra IzadpanahiSchool of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Fatemeh MohagheghianSchool of Biological Science, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran.
Najmeh SalehiSchool of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra EghbaliCell Therapy and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Zahra SalehiCell Therapy and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Research Institute for Oncology, Hematology and Cell Therapy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. zahra.salehi6463@yahoo.com.ORCID 0000-0002-0839-2729

Funding

Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services 1403-3-107-74077
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a hematologic malignancy characterized by malignant transformation of lymphoid precursor cells. ALL prognosis differs considerably, especially between pediatric patients and adult patients, with poor response to therapy in adults. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of genes, are possible cancer biomarkers that predict cancer prognosis. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates miRNAs as prognostic biomarkers in ALL and extends the findings through ceRNA network and single-cell RNA seq analyses of validated target genes. MATERIAL AND

methodsWe systematically searched PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science (WOS) to identify studies that compared miRNA expression with the survival of ALL patients following the PRISMA guidelines. We reviewed these studies for their methodological quality, and hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted to examine miRNA expression and survival endpoints of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and relapse-free survival (RFS). We also applied single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network to study miRNA targets.

resultsmiR-335 showed a significant protective role with a pooled HR of 0.29 (95% CI, 0.12-0.68), miR-210 with a pooled HR of 0.22 (95% CI, 0.06-0.84), and miR-125b with a pooled HR of 0.39 (95% CI, 0.16-0.95) based on 22 examined studies involving 1974 patients. These miRNAs were correlated with improved OS, DFS, and RFS. We identified potential targets, whose functions were examined within key biological pathways through a ceRNA network. In various immune cell types, comparisons of B-ALL and T-ALL with normal cells showed that 36 and 98 target genes, respectively, were upregulated, while 21 and 19 genes were downregulated. Additionally, when comparing T-ALL to B-ALL cells, 70 target genes had increased expression, and 13 genes had decreased expression. Among all analyzed lineages, leukemic blast cells exhibited the most consistent and pronounced alterations in the expression of validated miRNA target genes, suggesting that blasts are the primary population influenced by these regulatory interactions in ALL.

conclusionThese findings support miRNAs as valuable prognostic biomarkers for ALL with potential for personalized therapy. The context-dependent role of these miRNAs highlights the need for confirmation through large, multicenter trials. The constructed ceRNA network provides useful insights into their regulatory mechanisms, opening new directions for therapeutic strategies.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsPrecursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-LymphomaComputational BiologyHumansPrognosisRNA, Competitive EndogenousBiomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsRNA, Competitive EndogenousAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) NetworkMicroRNAsNon-coding RNAsPrognosisSingle-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq)Survival

Identifiers

PMID41612480
PMCPMC12924213

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.