MicroRNA expression profile in head and neck cancer: HOX-cluster embedded microRNA-196a and microRNA-10b dysregulation implicated in cell proliferation.

Background: Current evidence implicates aberrant microRNA expression patterns in human malignancies; measurement of microRNA expression may have diagnostic and prognostic applications. Roles for microRNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are largely unknown. HNSCC, a smoking-related cancer, is one of the most common malignancies worldwide but reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers have not been discovered so far.

Evaluation of microRNA expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and in primary culture of oral keratinocytes.

Objective: Functional in vitro studies are fundamental to understand the role of microRNAs, small non coding RNA molecules that function as post-transcriptional regulators, in cancer. The objective of this study was to determine the applicability of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines and human oral keratinocytes as models for functional studies on microRNAs previously identified as deregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Methods: The expression level of four microRNAs was assessed in cell lines and in primary cultures of oral keratinocytes using specific real-time polymerase chain reactions.