MicroRNAs in Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Chlamydia muridarum (CM) infections are an emerging topic of research that provide knowledge that could advance vaccine development and strategies for managing infection. This rapid review summarizes human and murine studies on miRNA expression in CT and CM infections in vivo and ex vivo.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a malignancy of the oral cavity with poor prognosis. Dysregulation in glycolytic pathways involving glucose transporters (GLUT) has been implicated in poor prognosis. Furthermore, GLUT expression in cancer cells is regulated by several miRNAs. However, there is a lack of data about miRNA involved in the regulation of GLUT in OSCC. The objective is to evaluate the role of miRNA in the regulation of GLUT in OSCC. Data sources include PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies evaluating the miRNA involved or associated with the regulation of GLUT in OSCC were included in the systematic review. Data pertaining to GLUT and associated miRNA expression were extracted from studies. Qualitative assessment was carried out for GLUT and miRNA. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. Ten study articles were included after analyzing 4675 papers. These studies evaluated the GLUT and miRNA expression between healthy and OSCC samples. There are variable expression patterns of GLUT in OSCC. Furthermore, it was dependent on miRNA. The GLUT1 and GLUT-3 were detected more frequently in OSCC, while no study reveals the expression of GLUT2, GLUT4, GLUT7, GLUT8, GLUT13, SGLT1, and SGLT2 with miRNA regulation. However, there was insufficient evidence on specific miRNA linked to GLUT1 or GLUT3 expression. There is evidence of the role of miRNA in the regulation of GLUT especially GLUT1 and GLUT3 in OSCC; however, a specific relation to miRNA was understudied. In the future, studies exploring a clearer understanding of the association between miRNA and the GLUT metabolic pathway in relation to OSCC are warranted. Furthermore, association of miRNA and GLUT with progression of disease, disease resistance, and prognosis is assessed for better treatment outcomes.

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in childhood. Although recent multi-omic studies have led to advances in MB classification, there is still room for improvement with regard to treatment response and survival. Therefore, identification of new and less invasive biomarkers is needed to refine the diagnostic process and to develop more personalized treatment strategies. In this context, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) could be useful biomarkers for MB. In this article, we reviewed the role of two types of ncRNAs, long non-coding (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), as biomarkers for the diagnosis, subgroup classification, and prognosis of MB. We also reviewed potential candidates with specific functions and mechanisms of action in the disease. We performed a search in PubMed and Scopus using the terms (\"long non coding RNAs\" OR \"lncRNAs\") and (\"circular RNAs\" OR \"circRNAs\") AND \"medulloblastoma\" to identify biomarker discovery or functional studies evaluating the effects of these ncRNAs in MB. A total of 26 articles met the inclusion criteria. Among the lncRNAs, the tumorigenic effects of the upregulated lnc-IRX3-80 and lnc-LRRC47-78 were the most studied in MB. Among the circRNAs, the upregulation of circSKA3 and its functional impact in MB cell lines were the most consistent results, so this circRNA could be considered a potential biomarker in MB. Additional validation is required for many deregulated lncRNAs and circRNAs; therefore, further studies are warranted.

Head and neck carcinomas have been associated with poor prognosis. Recent studies have highlighted the role of claudins\' expression in tumors throughout the body, and their prognostic and therapeutic role. Understanding the role of claudins and how their expression affects the progression of carcinomas in the head and neck region may allow for advances in the prognosis and management of this type of cancer. Several studies have highlighted the aberrant expression of the proteins in carcinomas in this region. Specifically, the overexpression of claudin-1 and downregulation of claudins-4, -7, and -17 have been linked with poor survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients. In laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma, increased levels of claudins-1 and reduced levels of claudins-3, -8, and -11 have been linked with poor outcomes. Targeting these proteins has shown promising outcomes as therapeutic in preclinical studies. However, studies remain extremely limited in nasal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. In this review, we survey the available literature describing the aberrant expression of various claudins in carcinomas in this region, while highlighting their potential prognostic and therapeutic value. Then, we describe some molecular mechanisms involved in the aberrant expression of claudins and how they can be utilized as therapeutic targets.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent human malignancies and a global health concern with a poor prognosis despite some therapeutic advances, highlighting the need for a better understanding of its molecular etiology. The genomic landscape of OSCC is well-established and recent research has focused on miRNAs, which regulate gene expression and may be useful non-invasive biomarkers or therapeutic targets. A plethora of findings regarding miRNA expression have been generated, posing challenges for the interpretation and identification of disease-specific molecules. Hence, we opted to identify the most important regulatory miRNAs by bridging genetics and epigenetics, focusing on the key genes implicated in OSCC development. Based on published reports, we have developed custom panels of fifteen major oncogenes and five major tumor suppressor genes. Following a miRNA/target gene interaction analysis and a comprehensive study of the literature, we selected the miRNA molecules which target the majority of these panels that have been reported to be downregulated or upregulated in OSCC, respectively. As a result, miR-34a-5p, miR-155-5p, miR-124-3p, miR-1-3p, and miR-16-5p appeared to be the most OSCC-specific. Their expression patterns, verified targets, and the signaling pathways affected by their dysregulation in OSCC are thoroughly discussed.

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility 11 (CASC11) is a newly identified lncRNA located on chromosome 8q24.21. The expression of lncRNA CASC11 has been found to be elevated in different cancer types and the prognosis of the tumor is inversely correlated with the high CASC11 expression. Moreover, lncRNA CASC11 has an oncogenic function in cancers. The biological characteristics of the tumors, such as proliferation, migration, invasion, autophagy, and apoptosis can be controlled by this lncRNA. In addition to interacting with miRNAs, proteins, transcription factors, and other molecules, the lncRNA CASC11 modulates signaling pathways including Wnt/β-catenin and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. In this review, we have summarized studies on the role of lncRNA CASC11 in the carcinogenesis from cell lines, in vivo, and clinical perspectives.

Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) coordinate a variety of pathological processes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and eventually play a role in patient outcomes. In this review, the role of Eph receptors in HNSCC progression and the possibility of targeting these receptors are illustrated. All relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of four electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, web of science, and Embase till August 2022. EphA2 and EphB4, along with ephrin-B2, were the most extensively studied proteins in this family. However, overexpression of EphB4 and its ligand ephrin-B2 were the only proteins that consistently showed association with a poor outcome, indicating that these proteins might serve as valuable prognostic markers in HNSCC. High expression of EphA3 and EphB4 was found to play a crucial role in radioresistance of HNSCC. EphB4 loss, in particular, was observed to induce an immunosuppression phenotypic HNSCC. Currently, ongoing clinical trials are investigating the benefits of EphB4-ephrin-B2 blockade in combination with standard of care treatment in HNSCC. Further efforts are needed to explore the biological role and behavioral complexity of this family of TKR in HNSCC with great attention to avoid heterogeneity of HNSCC subsites.

NDRG1 is a member of the α/β hydrolase superfamily that resides in the cytoplasm and participates in the stress responses, hormone response, cell growth, and differentiation. Several studies have pointed to the importance of NDRG1 in the carcinogenesis. This gene has been found to be up-regulated in an array of cancer types such as bladder, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, endometrial, lung and liver cancers, but being down-regulated in other types of cancers such as colorectal, gastric and ovarian cancers. The current study summarizes the evidence on the role of NDRG1 in the carcinogenic processes in different types of tissues.

Gastric cancer High Expressed Transcript 1 (GHET1) is an RNA gene located on chromosome 7q36.1. This non-coding RNA is involved in the pathology of different cancers. It can regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle transition. Moreover, it induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Up-regulation of GHET1 has been correlated with poor prognosis of patients with different malignancies. Besides, its up-regulation has been mostly detected in later stages and advanced grades of cancers. This review summarizes recent studies on the expression of GHET1, its in vitro functions, and its impact on the beginning and progression of cancer based on xenograft models of cancer.

Long Intergenic Non-Protein Coding RNA 511 (LINC00511) is an RNA gene being mostly associated with lung cancer. Further assessments have shown dysregulation of this lncRNA in a variety of cancers. LINC00511 has interactions with hsa-miR-29b-3p, hsa-miR-765, hsa-mir-150, miR-1231, TFAP2A-AS2, hsa-miR-185-3p, hsa-miR-29b-1-5p, hsa-miR-29c-3p, RAD51-AS1 and EZH2. A number of transcription factors have been identified that regulate expression of LINC00511. The current narrative review summarizes the role of LINC00511 in different cancers with an especial focus on its prognostic impact in human cancers.