title: MicroRNAs: Modulators of the Ras Oncogenes in Oral Cancer.
abstract: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) of the head and neck is one of the six most common cancers in the world. OSCC remains the most common cause of cancer deaths in Asian countries. Conventional treatments for OSCC have not improved the overall 5 years survival and therefore alternative therapeutic targets are often sought. Ras is one of the most frequently deregulated oncogenes in oral cancer. Direct targeting the ras has proven unrealistic and hence, exploring and understanding alternative pathways and/or molecules which regulate ras and its signaling that could pave the way for novel molecular targets and therapy for oral cancer. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to regulate ras oncogenes in human cancers. In this article, we address the microRNA-mediated regulation of the ras oncogenes in oral cancer. We describe extensively the tumor suppressive and oncogenic roles of miRNAs in regulation of ras oncogenes in OSCC. We also discuss the role of miRNA-mediated ras regulation in therapeutic determination of oral cancer. Complete understanding of the miRNA regulation of ras oncogenes in oral cancer may facilitate to plan better strategies for diagnosis, molecular therapeutic targeting and the overall prognosis of this common and deadly cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Avaniyapuram Kannan
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Murugan
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Dr. ALM PG Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Taramani, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: Arasambattu Kannan
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Munirajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Oncology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alzahrani
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D015689:Oncogene Protein p21(ras)