miRNA 21: Diagnostic Prognostic and Therapeutic Marker for Oral Cancer.

The vast majority of cancer epigenetic research is now focused on micro RNA (miRNA). Though thousands of miRNA have been identified, the validation of their role is a continuous process.

AIM: the aim of this paper is to comprehensively review the role of miRNA 21 in Oral cancer as a marker for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic target.

METHOD: The data was collected from major search engines like PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane library and Google Patents with the key words miRNA 21, miRNA and Oral Cancer, miRNA 21 prognostic role, miRNA therapeutic target etc. The articles published in the period of 2001 to 2016 in English language only were considered for this review. Articles in other language and focusing cancer other than oral cancer were beyond the scope of review and were excluded. Articles pertaining to Oral squamous cell carcinoma only were included in this review. The data synthesized was comprehensively categorized in to diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic role along with targets of miRNA 21.

CONCLUSION: miRNA 21 mainly targets the tumour suppressor genes and thus affects the process of carcinogenesis. The identification of expression of various markers associated with carcinogenesis will help in diagnosis of lesion. miRNA 21 expression is negatively correlated with prognosis of Oral cancer. The addition of nucleic acid constructer along with vector carrying anticancer agents in the promoter sequence of miRNA 21 has lot of therapeutic potential.