MicroRNA-140-5p inhibits salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma progression and metastasis via targeting survivin

Dynamic Role of miRNAs in Salivary Gland Carcinomas: From Biomarkers to Therapeutic Targets

BACKGROUND

Salivary gland carcinomas (SGCs) are a rare group of malignant neoplasms of the head and neck region. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that have been associated with the control biological process and oncogenic mechanism by the regulation of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent evidence has suggested that miRNA expression may play a role in the tumorigenesis and carcinogenesis process in SGCs.

METHODS

This review provides a comprehensive literature review of the role of miRNAs expression in SGCs focusing on the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications.

RESULTS

In this review, numerous dysregulated miRNAs have demonstrated an oncogenic and suppressor role in SGCs.

CONCLUSION

In the future, these miRNAs may eventually constitute useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers that may lead to a better understanding of SGCs oncogenesis. Additionally, the development of therapeutic agents based on miRNAs may be a promising target in SGC treatment.

miRNAs orchestration of salivary gland cancer- Particular emphasis on diagnosis, progression, and drug resistance

Cancer of the salivary glands is one of the five major types of head and neck cancer. Due to radioresistance and a strong propensity for metastasis, the survival rate for nonresectable malignant tumors is dismal. Hence, more research is needed on salivary cancer's pathophysiology, particularly at the molecular level. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of noncoding RNA that controls as many as 30% of all genes that code for proteins at the posttranscriptional level. Signature miRNA expression profiles have been established in several cancer types, suggesting a role for miRNAs in the incidence and progression of human malignancies. Salivary cancer tissues were shown to have significantly aberrant levels of miRNAs compared to normal salivary gland tissues, supporting the hypothesis that miRNAs play a crucial role in the carcinogenesis of salivary gland cancer (SGC). Besides, several SGC research articles reported potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the miRNA-based treatment of this malignancy. In this review, we will explore the regulatory impact of miRNAs on the processes underlying the molecular pathology of SGC and provide an up-to-date summary of the literature on miRNAs that impacted this malignancy. We will eventually share information about their possible use as diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers in SGC.

MiR-200b-5p inhibits tumor progression in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma via targeting BTBD1

Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is a rare malignant tumor of the salivary gland. Studies have suggested that miRNA may play a crucial role in the invasion and metastasis of SACC. This study aimed to investigate the role of miR-200b-5p in SACC progression. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR and western blot assay were used to detect the expression levels of miR-200b-5p and BTBD1. The biological functions of miR-200b-5p were evaluated via wound-healing assays, transwell assays, and xenograft nude mice model. The interaction between miR-200b-5p and BTBD1 was assessed using luciferase assay. Results showed that miR-200b-5p was downregulated in the SACC tissues while BTBD1 was upregulated. miR-200b-5p overexpression suppressed SACC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-200b-5p could directly bind to BTBD1. Besides, miR-200b-5p overexpression could rescue the tumor-promoting effect of BTBD1. miR-200b-5p inhibited tumor progression by modulating EMT-related proteins, targeting BTBD1 and inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Overall, our findings indicate that miR-200b-5p can suppress SACC proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT by regulating BTBD1 and PI3K/AKT axis, providing a promising therapeutic target for SACC treatment.

The potential role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of salivary gland cancer - A Focus on signaling pathways interplay

Salivary gland cancer (SGC) is immensely heterogeneous, both in terms of its physical manifestation and its aggressiveness. Developing a novel diagnostic and prognostic detection method based on the noninvasive profiling of microribonucleic acids (miRs) could be a goal for the clinical management of these specific malignancies, sparing the patients' valuable time. miRs are promising candidates as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets or factors that can advance the therapy of SGC due to their ability to posttranscriptionally regulate the expression of various genes involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle, apoptosis, invasion, and angiogenesis. Depending on their biological function, many miRs may contribute to the development of SGC. Therefore, this article serves as an accelerated study guide for SGC and the biogenesis of miRs. Here, we shall list the miRs whose function in SGC pathogenesis has recently been determined with an emphasis on their potential applications as therapeutic targets. We will also offer a synopsis of the current state of knowledge about oncogenic and tumor suppressor miRs in relation to SGC.

Unraveling the Role of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Salivary Glands: A Comprehensive Review

Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is considered a challenging malignancy; it is characterized by a slow-growing nature, yet a high risk of recurrence and distant metastasis, presenting significant hurdles in its treatment and management. At present, there are no approved targeted agents available for the management of SACC and systemic chemotherapy protocols that have demonstrated efficacy remain to be elucidated. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex process that is closely associated with tumor progression and metastasis, enabling epithelial cells to acquire mesenchymal properties, including increased mobility and invasiveness. Several molecular signaling pathways have been implicated in the regulation of EMT in SACC, and understanding these mechanisms is crucial to identifying new therapeutic targets and developing more effective treatment approaches. This manuscript aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest research on the role of EMT in SACC, including the molecular pathways and biomarkers involved in EMT regulation. By highlighting the most recent findings, this review offers insights into potential new therapeutic strategies that could improve the management of SACC patients, especially those with recurrent or metastatic disease.

HCG11 inhibits salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma by upregulating EphA2 via binding to miR-1297

OBJECTIVE

Ephrin receptor A2 (EphA2) was reported to be related to the tumorigenesis of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC), which is a rare malignancy accounting for less than 1% of all oral and maxillofacial tumors. This research aimed to assess the molecular mechanisms of EphA2 in SACC.

STUDY DESIGN

The expression of long non-coding RNA human leukocyte antigen complex group 11 (HCG11), microRNA-1297 (miR-1297), and EphA2 in SACC cell lines compared with normal human salivary gland (HSG) cell line was measured by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. EphA2 protein level was detected by western blot. 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), colony formation, Transwell, and wounding healing experiments were applied to evaluate SACC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. The relationship among HCG11, miR-1297, and EphA2 was confirmed by luciferase reporter, RNA pulldown, and RNA immunoprecipitation experiments.

RESULTS

HCG11 and EphA2 were downregulated while miR-1297 was upregulated in SACC cells. EphA2 overexpression suppressed SACC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. HCG11 bound to miR-1297 to reduce the inhibition of miR-1297 on EphA2 expression. EphA2 knockdown reversed the suppression of HCG11 overexpression on SACC cell phenotypes.

CONCLUSION

This study identified the HCG11/miR-1297/EphA2 regulatory axis in SACC, which might provide novel therapeutic targets for SACC.

Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of Salivary Glands: A Ten-Year Review and an Assessment of the Current Management, Surgery, Radiotherapy, and Chemotherapy

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a rare cancer that arises from the salivary glands and other sites in the body, such as the lung and breast. Although the tumor accounts for 10% of all salivary gland malignancies, it only accounts for 1% of head and neck malignancies. It can affect both major and minor salivary glands; here, it is called salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma or SACC, with a slight predilection to the latter, and commonly manifests between the 6_th and 7_th decades of life. The disease also shows a slight female predilection, with a reported female to male ratio of 3 : 2. Lesions of SACC are often insidious and slow-growing, and symptoms such as pain and altered sensation are frequently associated with advanced stages of the disease. Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma is characterized by perineural invasion (PNI), a distinctive feature that potentially plays a significant role in the tumor's relapse and recurrence, which is approximately 50%. The disease is not prevalent, and its etiopathogenesis is poorly understood, although several genetic patterns and biomarkers have been linked to its initiation and/or progression. The discovery of these mutations and biomarkers has encouraged several clinical studies to use therapeutic agents to target the specific receptors on the cancer cells to potentially prevent further proliferation of the tumor cells and metastasis of the disease. Diagnosis of SACC is often challenging and frequently requires a combination of clinical examination, imaging, and histopathology. Management of SACC is primarily surgical excision, while radiotherapy has shown to be effective in improving local control in cases with microscopic residual disease. However, treatment of recurrent or metastatic tumors by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy has so far shown limited success. The aim of this thesis is to provide an update of literature on SACC with a particular focus on the latest management approaches and future trends.

The imminent role of microRNAs in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

Unfortunately, despite the severe problem associated with salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC), it has not been studied in detail yet. Therefore, the time has come to understand the oncogenic cause of SACC and find the correct molecular markers for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic target to tame this disease. Recently, we and others have suggested that non-coding RNAs, specifically microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, can be ideal biomarkers for cancer(s) diagnosis and progression. Herein, we have shown that various miRNAs, like miR-155, miR‑103a‑3p, miR-21, and miR-130a increase the oncogenesis process, whereas some miRNAs such as miR-140-5p, miR-150, miR-375, miR-181a, miR-98, miR-125a-5p, miR-582-5p, miR-144-3p, miR-320a, miR-187 and miR-101-3p, miR-143-3p inhibit the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma progression. Furthermore, we have found that miRNAs also target many vital genes and pathways like mitogen-activated protein kinases-snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (MAPK-Snai2), p38/JNK/ERK, forkhead box C1 protein (FOXC1), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), integrin subunit beta 3 (ITGB3), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/NF-κB, programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), neuroblastoma RAS (N-RAS), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, MEK/ERK, ubiquitin-like modifier activating enzyme 2 (UBA2), tumor protein D52 (TPD52) which play a crucial role in the regulation of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma. Therefore, we believe that knowledge from this manuscript will help us find the pathogenesis process in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma and could also give us better biomarkers of diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.

The role of altered microRNA expression in premalignant and malignant head and neck lesions with epithelial origin

Background and Aims

The premalignant lesions of the oral cavity carry a risk of transformation to malignancy. Hence, early diagnosis followed by timely intervention remarkably affects the prognosis of patients. During tumorigenesis, particular microRNAs (miRNAs) show altered expressions and because of their post transcriptionally regulatory role could provide favorable diagnostic, therapeutic, or prognostic values in head and neck cancers.

Methods

In this review, we have demonstrated diagnostic, prognostic, and potential therapeutic roles of some miRNAs associated with oral premalignant and malignant lesions based on previous validate studies.

Results

It is previously documented that dysregulation of miRNAs contributes to cancer development and progression. MiRNAs could be tumor suppressors that normally suppress cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis or play as oncogenes that improved tumorigenesis process. Altered expression of miRNAs has also been reported in premalignant oral epithelial lesions such as leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis, oral lichen planus and some malignant carcinoma like oral squamous cell, verrucous, spindle cell, Merkel cell carcinoma and basal cell.

Conclusion

Some of miRNAs could be new therapeutic candidates in miRNA‐based target gene therapy. Although more investigations are required to identify the most favorable miRNA candidate, altered expression of some miRNAs could be used as biomarkers in premalignant lesions and oral cancers with high sensitivity and specificity.

Salivary gland tumors exhibit distinct miRNA signatures involved in Wnt/β-Catenin signaling in formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue samples

Advances in high-throughput genomic technologies have enabled the identification of numerous selective tumor markers. However, adapting these newly identified markers to clinical practice is not always possible because most RNA molecules, including mRNAs of protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs, are not stable under laboratory conditions, making their testing a major challenge. In contrast to long RNA molecules, miRNAs offer a great advantage in that they are relatively stable due to their small size. Accordingly, herein we aimed to determine the expression levels of miRNAs that are involved in Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue samples of patients with salivary gland tumors. A total of 42 patients with salivary gland tumors were included in the study. The miRNA expression signatures were evaluated using the RT-qPCR. As a result, β-catenin positivity was observed in all salivary gland tumors without distinguishing between benign and malignant phenotypes. Remarkably, we found that miR-200a and miR-373 were significantly upregulated whereas miR-30c were downregulated in tissues of patients with salivary gland tumors, compared to adjacent healthy tissue samples. In addition, distinct expression signatures of these miRNAs were significantly associated with the clinicopathological findings of patients such as perineural invasion and lymph node metastasis. Additionally, miR-145 and miR-30a were found to be specifically downregulated in a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Also, miR-26b was selectively increased in pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary gland. Collectively, our findings suggest that these miRNAs may play chief roles in the differential diagnosis of salivary gland tumors.

Sodium propionate improves rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting survivin mediated proliferation of fibroblast like synoviocytes by promoting miR-140-5p

BACKGROUND

Increased proliferation and impaired death of fibroblast-like synovial cells play an important role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Survivin plays an important role in the prodromal stage and prognosis of RA and has been introduced as a biomarker of joint injury in RA patients. The purpose of this study was to explore whether propionate alleviates RA through miR-140-5p/survivin pathway.

METHODS

The synovial tissues of RA patients were collected to detect the expression levels of miR-140-5p and survivin; normal human fibroblast-like synovial cells (HLSs) and RA fibroblast-like synovial cells (RA-FLSs) were cultured and treated with 10 mM of sodium propionate (SP), then the expressions of miR-140-5p and survivin, cell viability and apoptosis were detected; collagen induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was constructed and treated with SP, then the tissue inflammation level and the expression levels of miR-140-5p and Survivin were detected.

RESULTS

The expression of miR-140-5p decreased in synovial tissues of RA patients and RA-FLSs cells, while the expression of survivin increased significantly in RA patients. SP promoted miR-140-5p expression and apoptosis in RA-FLSs cells and inhibited survivin expression and cell viability of RA-FLSs cells. In addition, miR-140-5p plays a protective role by targeting survivin. Importantly, in the CIA rat model, SP reduced joint inflammatory response, and the miR-140-5p inhibitor weakened the protective effect of SP.

CONCLUSION

SP can alleviate RA by promoting the expression of miR-140-5p and inhibiting the excessive proliferation and death impairment of RA-FLSs cells induced by survivin.

Reconstruction and analysis of the aberrant lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network based on competitive endogenous RNA in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland

Background

The aim of this work was to investigate the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the salivary gland (SACC).

Methods

Differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) between cancer tissues and normal salivary gland (NSG) in ACC were identified using data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Functional annotation and pathway enrichment analysis of DEmRNAs were performed using the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. The miRNAs that are targeted by lncRNAs were predicted using miRanda and PITA, while the target mRNAs of miRNAs were retrieved from miRanda, miRWalk, and TargetScan. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database, and then we constructed the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks of ACC.

Results

Differentially expressed RNAs were identified in SACC. Upon comparing cancer tissues and NSG tissues, 103 upregulated and 52 downregulated lncRNAs and 745 upregulated and 866 downregulated mRNAs were identified in GSE88804; in addition, 39 upregulated and 43 downregulated miRNAs were identified in GSE117275. GO enrichment analyses revealed that the most relevant GO terms were regulation of transcription DNA-templated, transcription DNA-templated, and cell division. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly enriched in the cell cycle, pathways in cancer, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, breast cancer, and microRNAs in cancer. The PPI network consisted of 27 upregulated and 54 downregulated mRNAs. By constructing ceRNA network, NONHSAT251752.1-hsa-miR-6817-5p-NOTCH1, NONHSAT251752.1-hsa-miR-204-5p/hsa-miR-138-5p-CDK6 regulatory axises were identified and all genes in the network were verified by qRT-PCR.

Conclusions

The present study constructed ceRNA networks in SACC and provided a novel perspective of the molecular mechanisms for SACC.

Identification of pivotal microRNAs involved in the development and progression of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

BACKGROUND

miRNAs and mRNAs have been significantly implicated in tumorigenesis and served as promising prognostic biomarkers for human cancer. Hence, this study was aimed to develop the pivotal miRNA biomarkers-based prognostic signature for salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.

METHODS

The miRNA and mRNA expression data were integrated from the gene expression omnibus database to study their involvement in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma development and progression. Gene ontology and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes were conducted to analyze the biological pathways. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to verify the expression of selected miRNAs in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma and corresponding normal tissues.

RESULTS

There were 386 differentially expressed genes: 158 upregulated and 228 downregulated genes and 102 differentially expressed miRNAs: 78 upregulated and 24 downregulated miRNAs in the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma samples. A miRNA-mRNA network containing 11 miRNAs and 199 genes was subsequently constructed. Gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the genes targeted by the 11 miRNAs were mostly involved in tumor-related pathways and processes, such as miRNAs in cancer, focal adhesion, neurotrophin signaling pathway, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Among them, 4 miRNAs (miR-375, miR-494, miR-34c-5p, and miR-331-3p) were selected to verify by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in 36 pairs of collected salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma and adjacent nontumor samples. Overall survival analysis revealed that the higher expression of miR-331-3p was significantly associated with a worst overall survival and multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that hsa-miR-331-3p could be an independent prognostic factor for salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma.

CONCLUSION

Our results revealed that 4-miRNAs signature was a powerful prognostic biomarker for salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma, which provide a basis for exploring deeper mechanisms regarding the progression of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma, and leading to the development of potential therapeutic strategies.

miR-5191 acts as a tumor suppressor in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma by targeting Notch-2

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to investigate the effect of miR-5191 on proliferation, invasion and metastasis in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The differential expression level of miR-5191 between 5 primary tumor and adjacent non-neoplastic samples, and in two SACC cell lines was detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell proliferation, invasion, and migration were performed, followed by luciferase reporter assay and western analysis. The effect of miR-5191 on cell proliferation and apoptosis was evaluated by cell growth and apoptosis assay. The function of miR-5191 in SACC tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo was investigated by nude mice experiment. The associations between miR-5191/Notch-2 expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed.

RESULTS

miR-5191 was downregulated in primary tumor tissues and SACC-LM cells. By targeting Notch-2, miR-5191 expression level affected the migration, invasion, and proliferation of SACC cells. Overexpression of miR-5191 inhibited the expression levels of Notch-2, followed by the decreased expression of c-Myc, Bcl-2, Hes-1, Hey-1, and Cyclin D1. In vivo, miR-5191 overexpression suppressed the SACC tumorigenesis and pulmonary metastasis in mice. In SACC patients, higher expression of miR-5191 was related to better prognoses and lower possibility of metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-5191 acts as a tumor suppressor in SACC by targeting Notch-2.

Aberrant Expression of microRNA Clusters in Head and Neck Cancer Development and Progression: Current and Future Translational Impacts

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs known to negative regulate endogenous genes. Some microRNAs have high sequence conservation and localize as clusters in the genome. Their coordination is regulated by simple genetic and epigenetic events mechanism. In cells, single microRNAs can regulate multiple genes and microRNA clusters contain multiple microRNAs. MicroRNAs can be differentially expressed and act as oncogenic or tumor suppressor microRNAs, which are based on the roles of microRNA-regulated genes. It is vital to understand their effects, regulation, and various biological functions under both normal and disease conditions. Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are some of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and are regulated by many factors, including the dysregulation of microRNAs and their clusters. In disease stages, microRNA clusters can potentially control every field of oncogenic function, including growth, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and intercellular commutation. Furthermore, microRNA clusters are regulated by genetic mutations or translocations, transcription factors, and epigenetic modifications. Additionally, microRNA clusters harbor the potential to act therapeutically against cancer in the future. Here, we review recent advances in microRNA cluster research, especially relative to head and neck cancers, and discuss their regulation and biological functions under pathological conditions as well as translational applications.

Circ_0110805 Knockdown Enhances Cisplatin Sensitivity and Inhibits Gastric Cancer Progression by miR-299-3p/ENDOPDI Axis

Background

Gastric cancer is a prevalent primary stomach tumor. Cisplatin is frequently used to treat gastric cancer. However, the resistance of cisplatin in gastric cancer often occurs, which brings a heavy burden to gastric cancer treatment.

Methods

In this study, we revealed a novel underlying mechanism about cisplatin-resistant effect in gastric cancer. A Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) cell viability assay and a xenograft model were performed to evaluate the function of circRNA in the cisplatin resistance of gastric cancer.

Results

Compared with control groups, we observed that circ_0110805 was highly expressed, the mRNA and protein expression levels of ENDOPDI were dramatically upregulated, and the expression of miR-299-3p was significantly downregulated in gastric cancer cells, cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer tissues or cells. Functionally, circ_0110805 knockdown improved cisplatin sensitivity, induced cell apoptosis, whereas repressed cell viability, migration and invasion in AGS/DDP and HGC-27/DDP cells, which was reversed by miR-299-3p inhibitor. Additionally, ENDOPDI overexpression hindered the effects of miR-299-3p on cisplatin sensitivity and gastric cancer progression. Circ_0110805 knockdown enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0110805 acted as a sponge of miR-299-3p and its targeted ENDOPDI.

Conclusion

We showed that circ_0110805 knockdown increased the sensitivity of gastric cancer to cisplatin, which also repressed gastric cancer progression by sponging miR-299-3p to downregulate ENDOPDI expression. It might provide a new insight for future studying cisplatin-resistant gastric cancer.

Insight toward the MicroRNA Profiling of Laryngeal Cancers: Biological Role and Clinical Impact

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a heterogeneous disease arising from various anatomical locations including the larynx, is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite advances in multimodality treatment, the overall survival rate of the disease is still largely dismal. Early and accurate diagnosis of HNSCC is urgently demanded in order to prevent cancer progression and to improve the quality of the patient's life. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs), a family of small non-coding RNAs, have been widely reported as new robust tools for prediction, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic approaches of human diseases. Abnormally expressed miRNAs are strongly associated with cancer development, resistance to chemo-/radiotherapy, and metastatic potential through targeting a large variety of genes. In this review, we summarize on the recent reports that emphasize the pivotal biological roles of miRNAs in regulating carcinogenesis of HNSCC, particularly laryngeal cancer. In more detail, we report the characterized miRNAs with an evident either oncogenic or tumor suppressive role in the cancers. In addition, we also focus on the correlation between miRNA deregulation and clinical relevance in cancer patients. On the basis of intriguing findings, the study of miRNAs will provide a new great opportunity to access better clinical management of the malignancies.