Expression analysis of miRNA involved in radioresistance of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is not significant improved in prognosis despite advancement in treatments. The presence of treatment resistant OSCC is responsible for stagnation in the survival rate. The inter-cellular communications between tumor cells is one of the molecular mechanisms involved in the acquisition of treatment resistance of OSCC. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) and encapsulated miRNAs are important mediators of the inter-cellular communication. We searched for miRNAs involved in radioresistance of OSCC, in order to elucidate the mechanism of acquisition of radioresistance We picked up serum samples from 3 patients who responded to chemoradiotherapy and 4 patients who did not respond to chemoradiotherapy. Also, we extracted EVs from cell cultures of clinically relevant radioresistant (CRR) OSCC cells and non-radiatioresistant OSCC cells (cell-EVs). Then, the expression profile of miRNA in serum samples and cell-EVs was analyzed.