Stojkovic, Goran (59498807300)Goran (59498807300)StojkovicJovanovic, Ivan (57193205472)Ivan (57193205472)JovanovicDimitrijevic, Milovan (25642808400)Milovan (25642808400)DimitrijevicJovanovic, Jasmina (56140174500)Jasmina (56140174500)JovanovicTomanovic, Nada (22941937200)Nada (22941937200)TomanovicStankovic, Aleksandra (7006485474)Aleksandra (7006485474)StankovicArsovic, Nenad (17033449500)Nenad (17033449500)ArsovicBoricic, Ivan (6603959716)Ivan (6603959716)BoricicZeljic, Katarina (37035590000)Katarina (37035590000)Zeljic2025-06-122025-06-122023https://doi.org/10.1111/odi.14185https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85126281476&doi=10.1111%2fodi.14185&partnerID=40&md5=908b483a5e7f1e062a4619c637660502https://remedy.med.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2809Objectives: This study aimed to experimentally validate dysregulated expression of miRNA candidates selected through updated meta-analysis of most commonly deregulated miRNAs in oral cancer and to explore their diagnostic and prognostic potential. Materials and methods: Five miRNAs (miR-31-3p, miR-135b-5p, miR-18a-5p, miR-30a-5p and miR-139-5p) from updated meta-signature were selected for validation by qRT-PCR method in 35 oral cancer clinical specimens and adjacent non-cancerous tissue. Results: Updated meta-analysis has identified 13 most commonly deregulated miRNAs in oral cancer. Seven miRNAs were consistently up-regulated (miR-21-5p, miR-31-3p, miR-135b-5p, miR-31-5p, miR-424-5p, miR-18a-5p and miR-21-3p), while five were down-regulated (miR-139-5p, miR-30a-3p, miR-375-3p, miR-376c-3p and miR-30a-5p). Increased expression of miR-31-3p and miR-135b-5p, and decreased expression of miR-139-5p and miR-30a-5p were confirmed in oral cancer compared to adjacent non-cancerous tissue. A three miRNAs combination (miR-31-3p, miR-139-5p and miR-30a-5p) gave the most promising diagnostic potential for discriminating oral cancer from non-cancerous tissue (AUC: 0.780 [95% CI: 0.673–0.886], p < 0.0005, sensitivity 94.3%, specificity 51.4%). High expression of miR-135b-5p, miR-18a-5p and miR-30a-5p was associated with poor survival (p = 0.003, p = 0.048, p = 0.016 respectively). Conclusion: miR-31-3p, miR-139-5p and miR-30a-5p panel was confirmed as a potential diagnostic biomarker when distinguishing oral cancer from non-cancerous tissue. miR-135b-5p, miR-18a-5p and miR-30a-5p might serve as potential biomarkers of poor survival of oral cancer patients. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.miR-135b-5pmiR-139-5pmiR-18a-5pmiR-30a-5pmiR-31-3poral cancer