Expression of miR-214 and RASSF5 in oral cancer patients and their effects on apoptosis of oral cancer cells

Objective: To explore the expression and prognosis of miR-214 and RASSF5 in oral cancer patients and their effects on apoptosis of oral cancer cells. Methods: Oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues and adjacent normal tissues from 45 patients were collected. Normal oral squamous cells from 45 healthy volunteers were set as the control group. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-214 and RASSF8 in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues, adjacent normal tissues and control group. Then miR-214 inhibitors and RASSF5 mimic mRNA were transfected into oral cancer cell line KB cells. Untransfected cells were treated as the blank group and negative RNA control group (NC group). The effects of miR-214 and RASSF5 on apoptosis of oral cancer cells were observed by flow cytometry. Univariate and multivariate analysis of factors related to the formation of oral squamous cell carcinoma was performed. Results: The expression level of miR-214 in oral squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than that of adjuvant normal tissue and control group, while the expression level of RASSF58 in oral squamous cell carcinoma was significantly lower than that of adjuvant normal tissue and control group (all P < 0.01). The apoptosis ability of KB cells transfected with miR-214 mimics was significantly higher than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The apoptosis rate of KB cells transfected with miR-214 inhibitors and RASSF5 mimics was significantly higher than that of NC and blank groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Properly inhibiting the expression of miR-214 and up-regulating the expression of RASSF5 can significantly promote the apoptosis of oral cancer KB cells; and both are independent risk factors for prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.