Comparative analysis of micro-RNAs in human papillomavirus-positive versus -negative oropharyngeal cancers.
BACKGROUND
Oncogenic mechanisms of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancer are still poorly characterized. Analysis of their microRNA expression profile might provide valuable information.


METHODS
The microRNA expression profiles were analyzed by micro-arrays in 26 oropharyngeal cancers. A microRNA signature specific to HPV-status was identified by analyzing a learning/training set consisting of 16 oropharyngeal cancers. The robustness of this signature was further confirmed by blind case-by-case classification of a validation set composed of 10 independent tumors. Putative targeted molecular pathways were proposed using DIANA miRPath online software (http://microrna.gr/mirpath).


RESULTS
We have identified 25 miRNA signatures, which discriminates HPV16-positive oropharyngeal cancer from their HPV-negative counterparts. These 25 microRNAs play a potential role in Wnt and PI3K-pathways, cell-adhesion/cell-polarity, and the cytoskeleton regulation.


CONCLUSION
Our study contributes to a better understanding of pathogenic mechanisms involved in the development of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer and in the identification of potential therapeutic molecular targets. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1708-1716, 2016.
['Mirghani|Haitham|H|', 'Ugolin|Nicolas|N|', 'Ory|Catherine|C|', 'Goislard|Maud|M|', 'Lefèvre|Marine|M|', 'Baulande|Sylvain|S|', 'Hofman|Paul|P|', 'Guily|Jean Lacau St|JL|', 'Chevillard|Sylvie|S|', 'Lacave|Roger|R|']
D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell D005260:Female D052162:Human papillomavirus 16 D006801:Humans D008297:Male D035683:MicroRNAs D008875:Middle Aged D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms D030361:Papillomavirus Infections D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA D059467:Transcriptome
PI3K pathway Wnt pathway gene expression profile human papillomavirus 16 micro/miRNA microarray oropharyngeal/oropharynx cancer