الفهرس 
ABSTRACTOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 134 |  |  |
| | | from | 134 | | |
Abstract
Aim: to examine whether the expression of miRNA-16 and 21 (which are considered as apoptosis
regulating miRNAs) alters in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) versus normal oral epithelium, and
correlate their expression levels with that of one of their common downstream targets (the antiapoptotic
BCL-2 protein).
Methodology: this study was conducted on a total of 32 OSCC cases and 16 normal epithelium control
cases. OSCC cases were graded as well, moderately, or poorly differentiated SCC, based on the degree
of differentiation, cellular pleomorphism, and mitotic activity. Both moderately and poorly
differentiated cases were placed as one group, whereas well differentiated cases were placed as a
separate group. Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate the
expression of miRNA-16 and miRNA-21 in the 3 studied groups. The expression of BCL2 protein was
evaluated by Immunohistochemical staining.
Results: there was a statistically significant difference in miRNA-16 expression among the 3 studied
groups, where it decreased gradually from the normal control group (mean 0.93) , followed by the well
differentiated OSCC group (mean 0.36) , reaching the least levels in the moderate/poorly differentiated
group (mean 0.17) . Also, the 3 groups showed a statistically significant difference in miRNA-21
expression, where the highest levels were observed in the moderate/poorly differentiated OSCC group
(mean 9.35), followed by the well differentiated group (mean 3.70), and finally the normal control
group (mean 0.96). However, all the studied groups showed negative BCL-2 immunostaining.
Conclusions: miRNA-16 is down regulated in OSCC, while miRNA-21 was found to be upregulated.
These findings suggest that both miRNAs could be used as diagnostic markers as well as potential
approach for gene therapy of OSCC in the future.