Expression Levels of RISC and Microprocessor Complex Components in Epithelial Skin Cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are very small endogenous RNA molecules about 22-25 nucleotides in length, capable of post-transcriptional gene regulation. miRNAs bind to their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs), leading to cleavage or suppression of target mRNA translation based on the degree of complementarity. miRNAs have recently been shown to play pivotal roles in diverse developmental and cellular processes and linked to a variety of skin diseases and cancers. In the present study, the investigators examines the expression profiles of the microprocessor complex subunit DGCR8 and the RISC components TARBP1, TARBP2, argonaute-1, argonaute-2 and PACT in epithelial skin cancer and its premalignant stage.

Patients with premalignant actinic keratoses, basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas were included in the study. Punch biopsies were harvested from the center of the tumors, from sites of healthy skin and a healthy control group. DGCR8, TARBP1, TARBP2, argonaute-1, argonaute-2 and PACT mRNA expression levels were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.