Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41465168›Full record

ArticleGenes2025

Salivary miR-34a Exhibits State-Dependent Dysregulation Across Normal Oral Mucosa, Premalignant Lesions and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Iphigenia Gintoni, Stavros Vassiliou, Myrto Kardara Bellou, Athanasios Balakas, Nikolaos Lefantzis, Veronica Papakosta, George P Chrousos, Christos Yapijakis

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Genes, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Iphigenia GintoniUnit of Orofacial Genetics, 1st Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0009-0004-2561-9595
Stavros VassiliouDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-6102-2551
Myrto Kardara BellouDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Athanasios BalakasDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Nikolaos LefantzisDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Veronica PapakostaDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, 124 62 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-4033-1181
George P ChrousosUniversity Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, Choremion Laboratory, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-3098-5264
Christos YapijakisUnit of Orofacial Genetics, 1st Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, "Aghia Sophia" Children's Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0001-6695-186X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a highly aggressive neoplasm characterized by grim survival outcomes, despite significant therapeutic advances. Mortality rates (up to 70%) have remained unaltered for decades, predominantly due to profound diagnostic delays. These derive from the asymptomatic nature of the early stages of oral carcinogenesis and the emergence of dysplastic areas in previously benign lesions, acting as the bridge to malignant transformation. Hence, the establishment of reliable salivary biomarkers is crucial for non-invasive OSCC detection, even from the premalignant stage of dysplasia. Based on our previous bioinformatic research identifying stage-specific miRNAs throughout OSCC progression, which yielded miR-34a-5p as the most significant, we aimed to experimentally investigate its role in oral oncogenesis and explore its stage-reflecting biomarker potential for liquid biopsy.

methodsThe expression of miR-34a was evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR in saliva samples from 9 patients with oral premalignant dysplastic lesions, 10 patients with OSCC and 10 healthy controls. The diagnostic accuracy of miR-34a expression profiles was assessed using ROC-curve analyses.

resultsThe expression of salivary miR-34a differed significantly across the studied groups, demonstrating a steep decrease in the presence of epithelial premalignant dysplasia, significant upregulation in OSCC and intermediate levels in normal oral mucosa (

conclusionsOur findings reveal a state-dependent dysregulation of miR-34a in oral carcinogenesis, suggesting its complex role as a pathogenetic agent that allows for malignant transformation through its diminished expression, and as a secondary reactive mechanism attempting to suppress tumor development. Salivary miR-34a holds great, stage-specific diagnostic potential, thereby reflecting the health state of oral mucosa in real time.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Squamous CellMicroRNAsMouth MucosaMouth NeoplasmsPrecancerous ConditionsSalivaSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckAdultAgedBiomarkers, TumorFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedBiomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsMIRN34 microRNA, humanbiomarkerepithelial dysplasialiquid biopsymicroRNAmiR-34a-5pOPMDoral canceroral potentially malignant disordersOSCCprecancerous lesionspresymptomatic detection

Identifiers

PMID41465168
PMCPMC12732903

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.