Dysregulated microRNA Expression Relevant to TERT Promoter Mutations in Tonsil Cancer—A Pilot Study

Tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) exhibit high rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity. The expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA), which are small RNA molecules that play pivotal roles in biological processes, in TSCC in relation to the HPV status and cancer-related genetic mutatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Life (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-10, Vol.13 (10), p.2090
Main Authors: Kwon, Mi Jung, Park, Ha Young, Lee, Joong Seob, Kim, Eun Soo, Kim, Nan Young, Nam, Eun Sook, Cho, Seong Jin, Kang, Ho Suk
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological activity
Biomarkers
Cancer
Chemotherapy
Cluster analysis
Clustering
Epigenetics
Gene expression
Gene set enrichment analysis
Genomes
Genomics
hsa-miR-1285-5p
Human papillomavirus
Kinases
Metastasis
MicroRNAs
miRNA
miRNAs
Mutation
oropharynx
Radiation therapy
Ribonucleic acid
RNA
Software
Squamous cell carcinoma
TERT promoter gene
Tonsil
Tonsillar carcinoma
Tumors
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Summary:Tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) exhibit high rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) positivity. The expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA), which are small RNA molecules that play pivotal roles in biological processes, in TSCC in relation to the HPV status and cancer-related genetic mutations are not well investigated. Herein, we expanded our previous research, which was focused on established clinicopathological and genetic mutational data, to profile miRNA expression in TSCC, aiming to identify clinically relevant targets for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention. The miRNA profiles were analyzed using the nCounter Nanostring miRNA Expression assay in 22 surgically resected TSCC tissues and their contralateral normal tonsil tissues. The TERT promoter (TERTp) gene was the only relevant candidate gene associated with differentially expressed miRNAs in TSCC. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed high expression levels of hsa-miR-1285-5p, hsa-miR-1203, hsa-miR-663a, hsa-miR-1303, hsa-miR-33a-5p, and hsa-miR-3615 coupled with low expression levels of hsa-miR-3182, hsa-miR-219a-2-3p, and hsa-miR-767-3p, which were associated with HPV-positive TSCC (p = 0.009). Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these dysregulated miRNAs tended to be involved in protein binding (molecular function) and cellular components (biological processes). Therefore, hsa-miR-1285-5p and hsa-miR-663a may be associated with HPV-positive TERTp-mutated tumors and may serve as potential treatment targets and biomarkers for early detection.
ISSN:2075-1729
2075-1729
DOI:10.3390/life13102090