Mismatch repair system proteins in oral benign and malignant lesions

• Published in: Journal of oral pathology & medicine Vol. 46; no. 4; pp. 241 - 245
• Main Authors: Amaral‐Silva, Gleyson Kleber do, Martins, Manoela Domingues, Pontes, Hélder Antônio Rebelo, Fregnani, Eduardo Rodrigues, Lopes, Márcio Ajudarte, Fonseca, Felipe Paiva, Vargas, Pablo Agustin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Denmark Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2017
• Subjects: Benign; Carcinogenesis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Clonal deletion; Dentistry; DNA Mismatch Repair; DNA structure; DNA-directed DNA polymerase; Gene deletion; Genetic recombination; Humans; Insertion; leukoplakia; Lip Neoplasms - metabolism; Mismatch repair; mismatch repair system; MLH; Mouth Neoplasms - metabolism; MSH; Mutation; MutL; MutS; MutS Proteins - metabolism; Oral cancer; Oral cavity; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Proofreading; Proteins; Squamous cell carcinoma; Tumors; MSH; MutS; MutL; leukoplakia; MLH; mismatch repair system; oral cancer
• ISSN: 0904-2512; 1600-0714
• DOI: 10.1111/jop.12484

Different environmental agents may cause DNA mutations by disrupting its double‐strand structure; however, even normal DNA polymerase function may synthesize mismatch nucleotide bases, occasionally demonstrating failure in its proofreading activity. To overcome this issue, mismatch repair (MMR) system, a group of proteins specialized in finding mispairing bases and small loops of insertion or deletion, works to avoid the occurrence of mutations that could ultimately lead to innumerous human diseases. In the last decades, the role of MMR proteins in oral carcinogenesis and in the development of other oral cavity neoplasms has grown, but their importance in the pathogenesis and their prognostic potential for patients affected by oral malignancies, especially oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), remain unclear. Therefore, in this manuscript we aimed to review and critically discuss the currently available data on MMR proteins expression in oral potentially malignant lesions, in OSCC, and in other oral neoplasms to better understand their relevance in these lesions.