Identification of differentially expressed microRNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma based on microRNA expression signature

microRNA（miRNAs）是内源性短的非编码RNA分子，其通过抑制翻译或以序列特异性方式切割RNA转录物来调节基因表达。越来越多的证据表明，miRNAs在许多人类肿瘤中异常表达，并在人类肿瘤的发生、发展和转移中发挥重要作用。最近，我们的表达谱显示microRNA-1，microRNA-133 a和microRNA-375在头颈部鳞状细胞癌（HNSCC）中频繁下调。microRNA-1、microRNA-133 a和microRNA-375的异位表达抑制了HNSCC细胞的生长、迁移和侵袭，提示这些microRNA在HNSCC中起肿瘤抑制剂的作用。

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous short non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by repressing translation or cleaving RNA transcripts in a sequence-specific manner. A growing body of evidence suggests that miRNAs are aberrantly expressed in many human cancers and that they play significant roles in the initiation, development and metastasis of human cancers. Recently, our expression profile revealed that microRNA-1, microRNA-133a and microRNA-375 are frequently downregulated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Ectopic expression of three miRNAs (microRNA-1, microRNA-133a and microRNA-375) inhibited cell growth, migration and invasion of HNSCC cells, suggesting these microRNAs function as tumor suppressors in HNSCC.