Pathology - Research and Practice 253 (2024) 155027 Available online 11 December 2023 0344-0338/© 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. Review Unraveling the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis, progression, and drug resistance of oral cancer Ahmed S. Doghish a, b, *, 1 , Shereen Saeid Elshaer c, d , Doaa Fathi c , Nehal I. Rizk c , Mahmoud A. Elrebehy a , Tohada M. AL-Noshokaty c , Mohammed S. Elballal a , Nourhan M. Abdelmaksoud c , Mustafa Ahmed Abdel-Reheim e, f, **, 2 , Sherif S. Abdel Mageed g , Mohamed Bakr Zaki h , Osama A. Mohammed i , Manar Mohammed El Tabaa j , Ahmed S. Elballal k , Sameh Saber l , Hussein M. El-Husseiny m, n , Ahmed I. Abulsoud b, c, ***, 3 a Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt b Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt c Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University, Cairo 11785, Egypt d Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr city, Cairo 11823, Egypt e Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Shaqra 11961, Saudi Arabia f Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni, Suef 62521, Egypt g Pharmacology and Toxicology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt h Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Menoufa 32897, Egypt i Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Bisha 61922, Saudi Arabia j Pharmacology & Environmental Toxicology, Environmental Studies & Research Institute (ESRI), University of Sadat City, Sadat City 32897, Menoufa, Egypt Abbreviations: ABCB1, ATP-binding cassette B1; ALDH1, Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1; ANXA1, Annexin A1; APC, Adenomatous polyposis coli; Axin-2, Axis in- hibitor protein 2; BAK, BCL-2 homologous antagonist killer; BAX, BCL-2-associated X protein; BCL2L2, B-cell lymphoma 2 like 2; BICC1, Bicaudal-C; BIN1, Bridging integrator 1; CAFs, Cancer-associated fbroblasts; CAMK2N1, Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2 inhibitor 1; CCL2, Chemokine C-C motif ligand 2; CD36, Cluster of differentiation 36; CDC73, cell division cycle 73; CDH1, Cadherin 1; CDK6, Cyclin-dependent kinase 6; CDKN1B, Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B; CHD9, Chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 9; CISH, Cytokine-inducible Src homology 2-containing; COL10A1, Collagen type X alpha 1 chain; COL1A1, Collagen type 1 alpha 1; COVID-19, Coronavirus disease 2019; CXCR4, C-X-C chemokine receptor 4; CYP3A5, Cytochrome P450 family 3 subfamily A member 5; DDR1, Discoidin domain receptor-1; DGCR8, DiGeorge Critical Region 8; DKK, Dickkopf; Drosha, Double-stranded RNA-specifc endoribonuclease; E2F1, E2 pro- moter binding factor 1; E-cad, E-cadherin; EGFR, Epidermal growth factor receptor; EP1, Expressed Protein 1; ERK, Extracellular signal-regulated kinase; FAK, Focal adhesion kinase; FAP, Fibroblast activation protein; FBXW7, F-box/WD repeat-containing protein 7; FoxO3, Forkhead transcription factor O3; GFI 1, Growth factor independent 1; GLUT1, Glucose transporter 1; GRAP, GRB-2-related adaptor protein; GSK-3, Glycogen synthase kinase 3; hBMSCs, Human bone marrow mesen- chymal stem cells; HGF, Hepatocyte growth factor; HIPK3, Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 3; HK2, Hexokinase 2; HOXA9, Homeobox A9; HOXB7, Ho- meobox B7; IGF1R, Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor; IL-8, Interleukin 8; IRAK1, Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1; JAK2, Janus kinase 2; KRT17, Keratin 17; LATS2, Large tumor suppressor 2; LATS2, Large tumor suppressor kinase 2; LIMK1, LIM Domain Kinase 1; MAPK, Mitogen-activated protein kinase; MCL-1, Myeloid cell leukemia-1; MEK1, MAPK kinase 1; miRNAs, MicroRNAs; MMP2, Matrix metallopeptidase 2; MMP9, Matrix metallopeptidase 9; MTDH, Metadherin; MTMR3, Myotubularin-related protein 3; ncRNAs, Non-coding RNAs; NF-κB, Nuclear factor kappa B; NOX4, NADPH oxidase 4; NRF2, Nuclear factor erythroid 2- related factor 2; OC, Oral cancer; OLK, Oral leukoplakia; OSCC, Oral squamous cell carcinoma; OTSCC, Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma; PA, Proteasomal activator; P-AKT, Protein kinase B; PARP, Poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase; PBX1, Pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox-1; PDCD7, Programmed cell death 7; PDGFA, Platelet- derived growth factor A; PGE2, Prostaglandin E2; PI3K, Phosphoinositide 3-kinases; PKM2, Pyruvate kinase type M2; PP2A, Protein phosphatase 2A; pre-miRNA, miRNA precursor; pri-miRNA, Primary miRNA; pro-MMP2, Pro-matrix metalloproteinase 2; PRXL2A, Peroxiredoxin like 2A; PTEN, Phosphatase and tensin homolog; RASSF5, Ras association domain family member 5; RhoA, Ras homolog family member A; RIG-I, Retinoic acid-inducible gene I; RLBP1, Retinaldehyde-binding protein 1; ROC, receiver operating characteristic; ROCK, Rho-associated protein kinase; SEMA6A, Semaphorin-6A; SHOX2, Short stature homeobox 2; SIRT3, Sirtuin 3; SLC7A11, Solute carrier family 7 member 11; SOCS1, Suppressor of cytokine signaling 1; SOD2, Superoxide dismutase 2; SOX4, SRY-box transcription factor 4; STAT, Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3; TCF7L2, Transcription factor 7-like 2; TGFβ, Transforming growth factor; TIMP2, Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 2; TMEM182, Transmembrane protein 182; TNF-α, Tumor necrosis factor alpha; TNM, tumor, node and metastasis; TP53INP1, Tumor protein p53-inducible nuclear protein 1; TRAF6, Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6; TRIAP1, TP53 regulated inhibitor of apoptosis 1; TRIM14, Tripartite motif-containing protein; TSCC, Tongue squamous cell carcinoma; VEGF, Vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF-C, vascular endothelial growth factor C; WRN, Werner syndrome RecQ-like helicase; YAP1, Yes-associated protein-1; ZEB1, Zinc fnger E-box binding homeobox 1; αSMA, α-smooth muscle actin. * Corresponding author at: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Badr University in Cairo (BUC), Badr City, Cairo 11829, Egypt. ** Corresponding author at: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Shaqra 11961, Saudi Arabia. *** Corresponding author at: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy (Boys), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11231, Cairo, Egypt. E-mail addresses: ahmed_doghish@azhar.edu.eg (A.S. Doghish), m.ahmed@su.edu.sa (M.A. Abdel-Reheim), abulsoudahmed@azhar.edu.eg (A.I. Abulsoud). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Pathology - Research and Practice journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/prp https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prp.2023.155027 Received 18 November 2023; Received in revised form 6 December 2023; Accepted 7 December 2023