Aberrant , , and expression in the cytobrushed samples from oral potentially malignant disorders.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: MicroRNA (miRNA) alterations play important roles in the neoplastic process of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Upregulation of and and downregulation of are frequent events in OSCC. The aberrances of these miRNAs in oral potentially malignant lesions (OPMD) were studied to determine their status during the establishment of OSCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cytobrushed sampling was used to collect epithelial cells from 11 OSCC and 34 OPMD lesions and matched normal mucosa. The expression levels of , , and were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis. The clinical implications of these aberrances were further investigated.

RESULTS

Both and were upregulated in OPMD, but only expression was upregulated in OSCC comparing to control. was downregulated in OPMD and tended to be downregulated in OSCC. Dysplastic OPMD could be distinguished based on expression level; expression levels facilitated discrimination between OPMD and OSCC. The combined analysis of and remarkably enhanced the accuracy of differentiating OPMD from OSCC.

CONCLUSION

Aberrant . , and expression occurs early during oral carcinogenesis. The detection of and expression using cytobrush samples may assist in differentiating between OPMD and OSCC.