scholarly journals MicroRNAs as Important Players and Biomarkers in Oral Carcinogenesis

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anjie Min ◽  
Chao Zhu ◽  
Shuping Peng ◽  
Saroj Rajthala ◽  
Daniela Elena Costea ◽  
...  

Oral cancer, represented mainly by oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), is the eighth most common type of human cancer worldwide. The number of new OSCC cases is increasing worldwide, especially in the low-income countries, and the prognosis remains poor in spite of recent advances in the diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), 18–25 nucleotides long noncoding RNA molecules, have recently gained significant attention as potential regulators and biomarkers for carcinogenesis. Recent data show that several miRNAs are deregulated in OSCC, and they have either a tumor suppressive or an oncogenic role in oral carcinogenesis. This review summarizes current knowledge on the role of miRNAs as tumor promotors or tumor suppressors in OSCC development and discusses their potential value as diagnostic and prognostic markers in OSCC.

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (7) ◽  
pp. G449-G459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chadalavada Vijay Krishna ◽  
Jagmohan Singh ◽  
Chellappagounder Thangavel ◽  
Satish Rattan

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a group of short noncoding RNA molecules with important roles in cellular biology. miRNAs regulate gene expression by repressing translation or degrading the target mRNA. Recently, a growing body of evidence suggests that miRNAs are implicated in many diseases and could be potential biomarkers. Fibrosis and/smooth muscle (SM) dysfunction contributes to the morbidity and mortality associated with several diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Currently available therapeutic modalities are unsuccessful in efficiently blocking or reversing fibrosis and/or SM dysfunction. Recent understanding of the role of miRNAs in signaling pathway of fibrogenesis and SM phenotype switch has provided a new insight into translational research. However, much is still unknown about the molecular targets and therapeutic potential of miRNAs in the GIT. This review discusses miRNA biology, pathophysiology of fibrosis, and aging- associated SM dysfunction in relation to the deregulation of miRNAs in the GIT. We also highlight the role of selected miRNAs associated with fibrosis and SM dysfunction-related diseases of the GIT.


2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 579-600
Author(s):  
Obiora Chinedu Okafor ◽  
Sanaa Ahmed ◽  
Sylvia Bawa ◽  
Ibironke Odumosu-Ayanu

AbstractThis study examines the African Human Rights Action Plan (AHRAP) through the lens of Upendra Baxi's germinal theory on the emergence in our time of a ‘trade-related, market-friendly human rights’ (TREMF) thesis that is challenging the specific understandings of ‘people-centric’ human rights that are predicated in the letter and spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDH). Baxi contends, instead, that the dominant strands of the contemporary understandings of human rights are – for the most part – designed to protect the interests of global capital. That said, human rights frameworks in low-income countries need to be studied with a view to what they say and don't say about global capital. Despite its attempt to facilitate a progressive realisation of human rights in Africa, the AHRAP does not rise far enough above the TREMF paradigm to re-locate itself within the UDH one. This is due to the AHRAP not adequately theorising and analysing the role of capital in the (non)realisation of human rights in Africa. By allowing trade and market practices to slip to a significant extent beyond its purview, the AHRAP privileges – to a significant degree – the needs/interests of capital over the human rights of ordinary Africans. That is, the victims of the excesses of capital in Africa are reincarnated in the AHRAP document by the fact of their exclusion from it.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huaiyu Gu ◽  
Zhen Zhang ◽  
Yi-shuang Xiao ◽  
Ru Shen ◽  
Hong-chao Jiang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Retinoblastoma is a rare intraocular malignancy and typically initiated by inactivating biallelic mutations of RB1 gene. Each year, ~8,000 children worldwide are diagnosed for retinoblastoma. In high-income countries, patient survival is over 95% while low-income countries is ~30%.If disease is diagnosed early and treated in centers specializing in retinoblastoma, the survival might exceed 95% and many eyes could be safely treated and support a lifetime of good vision. In China, approximate 1,100 newly diagnosed cases are expected annually and 28 hospitals covering 25 provinces established centers classified by expertise and resources for better treatment options and follow-up. Comparing with other province of eastern China, Yunnan province is remote geographically. This might result that healthcare staff have low awareness of the role of genetic testing in management and screening in families.Methods: The patients with retinoblastoma were selected in Yunnan. DNA from blood was used for targeted gene sequencing. Then, an in-house bioinformatics pipeline was done to detect both single nucleotide variants and small insertions/deletions. The pathogenic mutations were identified and further confirmed by conventional methods and cosegregation in families.Results: Using our approach, targeted next generation sequencing was used to detect the mutation of these 12 probands. Bioinformatic predictions showed that nine mutations were found in our study and four were novel pathogenic variants in these nine mutations.Conclusions: It’s the first report to describe RB1 mutations in Yunnan children with retinoblastoma. This study would improve role of genetic testing for management and family screening.


Author(s):  
Murphy Halliburton

The Movement for Global Mental Health has defined the person suffering psychopathology in low-income countries as an abused and suffering subject in need of saving by biomedical psychiatry. Based on fieldwork in Kerala, South India, carried out at psychiatric clinics and a psychosocial rehabilitation centre, this paper examines patients’ experiences of illness, the degree and quality of family support, and attributions made to the role of ‘sneham’, or love, in recovery. The role of love and family involvement may help explain the provocative finding by WHO epidemiological studies that ‘developing’ countries – and India in particular – showed better rates of recovery from severe mental illness when compared to developed countries.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (35) ◽  
pp. 2981-2995
Author(s):  
Ning Lou ◽  
Guohong Liu ◽  
Yunbao Pan

The long noncoding RNA ANRIL, located in the human chromosome 9p21 region, has been reported to be involved in tumor progression. ANRIL regulates gene expression via recruiting PRC2 or titrating miRNA; it also participates in signaling pathways. Evidence has indicated that ANRIL is overexpressed in many cancer types and is capable of enhancing cell proliferation and cell cycle progression and inhibiting apoptosis and senescence. ANRIL has the potential to serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis in cancer. In this article we focus on recent advances in studies of the oncogenic role of ANRIL and its potential role in cancer medicine.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik A. Barth ◽  
Felix Prinz ◽  
Julia Teppan ◽  
Katharina Jonas ◽  
Christiane Klec ◽  
...  

Hypoxia is dangerous for oxygen-dependent cells, therefore, physiological adaption to cellular hypoxic conditions is essential. The transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) is the main regulator of hypoxic metabolic adaption reducing oxygen consumption and is regulated by gradual von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-dependent proteasomal degradation. Beyond physiology, hypoxia is frequently encountered within solid tumors and first drugs are in clinical trials to tackle this pathway in cancer. Besides hypoxia, cancer cells may promote HIF expression under normoxic conditions by altering various upstream regulators, cumulating in HIF upregulation and enhanced glycolysis and angiogenesis, altogether promoting tumor proliferation and progression. Therefore, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial to discover potential future therapeutic targets to evolve cancer therapy. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are a class of non-protein coding RNA molecules with a length of over 200 nucleotides. They participate in cancer development and progression and might act as either oncogenic or tumor suppressive factors. Additionally, a growing body of evidence supports the role of lncRNAs in the hypoxic and normoxic regulation of HIF and its subunits HIF-1α and HIF-2α in cancer. This review provides a comprehensive update and overview of lncRNAs as regulators of HIFs expression and activation and discusses and highlights potential involved pathways.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document