Profiling of NUMTs in Gingivobuccal Oral Cancer

Abstract

AbstractVery little information exists on the NUclear MiTochondrial sequences (NUMTs) in oral squamous cell carcinoma-gingivobuccal (OSCC-GB). We analysed whole genome sequences obtained from paired tumour and blood DNA from 25 patients of OSCC-GB for detecting NUMTs. Nine potential somatic NUMTs and 78 germline NUMTs were identified in these patients. None of the somatic NUMTs could be confirmed by PCR assay. None of the germline NUMTs were found to be specific for OSCC-GB. Although there have been recent reports on detection of somatic NUMTs in other cancer types, our results suggest NUMTs, both somatic and germline, are not involved in OSCC-GB.