MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules playing regulatory roles 
by repressing translation or cleaving RNA transcripts. Although the number of 
verified human miRNA is still expanding, only few have been functionally 
described. However, emerging evidences suggest the potential involvement of 
altered regulation of miRNA in pathogenesis of cancers and these genes are 
thought to function as both tumours suppressor and oncogenes. In our study, we 
examined by Real-Time PCR the expression of 156 mature miRNA in colorectal 
cancer. The analysis by several bioinformatics algorithms of colorectal tumours 
and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues from patients and colorectal cancer cell 
lines allowed identifying a group of 13 miRNA whose expression is significantly 
altered in this tumor. The most significantly deregulated miRNA being miR-31, 
miR-96, miR-133b, miR-135b, miR-145, and miR-183. In addition, the expression 
level of miR-31 was correlated with the stage of CRC tumor. Our results suggest 
that miRNA expression profile could have relevance to the biological and 
clinical behavior of colorectal neoplasia.