MiR-34a belongs to the class of small non-coding regulatory RNAs and functions as a tumor suppressor. Under physiological conditions, miR-34a has an inhibitory effect on all processes related to cell proliferation by targeting many proto-oncogenes and silencing them on the post-transcriptional level. However, deregulation of miR-34a was shown to play important roles in tumorigenesis and processes associated with cancer progression, such as tumor-associated epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, further understanding of miR-34a molecular mechanisms in cancer are indispensable for the development of effective diagnosis and treatments. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on miR-34a functions in human disease with an emphasis on its regulation and dysregulation, its role in human cancer, specifically head and neck squamous carcinoma and thyroid cancer, and emerging role as a disease diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and the novel therapeutic target in oncology.
Summary Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease that mainly affects the pulmonary and lymphatic systems. In its rare, acute forms, it can manifest as Lofgren’s syndrome (combination of erythema nodosum, bilateral pulmonary hilar lymphadenopathy, joint pain, fever and general symptoms) and even more rarely as Heerfordt’s syndrome (combination of fever, anterior uveitis, bilateral edema of the parotid area and uni or bilateral facial nerve paresis). Although this diagnosis is rare, it belongs to the differential diagnosis of sudden paresis of the facial nerve and swelling of the parotic area. In our case report, we describe Heerfordt’s syndrome in a 50-year-old woman. The pathophysiology, symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment of this rare syndrome are discussed. Key words sarcoidosis – uveoparotid fever – facial nerve paresis
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