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Analysis of MicroRNA–mRNA Interactions in Stem Cell-Enriched Fraction of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Vinitha Richard, Rajesh Raju, Aswathy Mary Paul, Reshmi Girijadevi, Thankayyan Retnabai Santhosh Kumar, Madhavan Radhakrishna Pillai

Cancer Research Program, Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, India

Oncology Research 2018, 26(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14881490607028

Abstract

This study is an integrated analysis of the transcriptome profile microRNA (miRNA) and its experimentally validated mRNA targets differentially expressed in the tumorigenic stem-like fraction of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We had previously reported the coexistence of multiple drug-resistant tumorigenic fractions, termed side population (SP1, SP2, and MP2), and a nontumorigenic fraction, termed main population (MP1), in oral cancer. These fractions displayed a self-renewal, regenerative potential and expressed known stemness-related cell surface markers despite functional differences. Flow cytometrically sorted pure fractions of SP1 and MP1 cells were subjected to differential expression analysis of both mRNAs and miRNAs. A significant upregulation of genes associated with inflammation, cell survival, cell proliferation, drug transporters, and antiapoptotic pathways, in addition to enhanced transcriptome reprogramming mediated by DNA–histone binding proteins and pattern recognition receptor-mediated signaling, was found to play a crucial role in the transformation of the nontumorigenic MP1 fraction to the tumorigenic SP1 fraction. We also identified several differentially expressed miRNAs that specifically target genes distinctive of tumorigenic SP1 fraction. miRNAmediated downregulation of stemness-associated markers CD44 and CD147 and upregulation of CD151 may also account for the emergence and persistence of multiple tumorigenic stem cell fractions with varying degrees of malignancy. The phenotypic switch of cancer cells to stem-like OSCC cells mediated by transcriptomal regulation is effectual in addressing biological tumor heterogeneity and subsequent therapeutic resistance leading to a minimal residual disease (MRD) condition in oral cancer. A detailed study of the interplay of miRNAs, mRNA, and the cellular phases involved in the gradual transition of nontumorigenic cancer cells to tumorigenic stem-like cells in solid tumors would enable detection and development of a treatment regimen that targets and successfully eliminates multiple, drug-resistant fractions of cancer cells.

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Cite This Article

APA Style
Richard, V., Raju, R., Paul, A.M., Girijadevi, R., Kumar, T.R.S. et al. (2018). Analysis of microrna–mrna interactions in stem cell-enriched fraction of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncology Research, 26(1), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14881490607028
Vancouver Style
Richard V, Raju R, Paul AM, Girijadevi R, Kumar TRS, Pillai MR. Analysis of microrna–mrna interactions in stem cell-enriched fraction of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Res. 2018;26(1):17-26 https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14881490607028
IEEE Style
V. Richard, R. Raju, A.M. Paul, R. Girijadevi, T.R.S. Kumar, and M.R. Pillai, “Analysis of MicroRNA–mRNA Interactions in Stem Cell-Enriched Fraction of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma,” Oncol. Res., vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 17-26, 2018. https://doi.org/10.3727/096504017X14881490607028



cc Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Tech Science Press.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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