Abstract:
Objective This study aims to(i) detect the expression of both microRNA-21(miR-21) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) tissue samples and cell lines, and(ii) determine the correlation between their expression and prognosis.
Methods miR-21 expression in OSCC cell lines and tissue samples was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization, respectively.Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical staining were used to determine the STAT3 expression in the OSCC cell lines and tissue samples.The correlations between the miR-21/STAT3 expression and the pathological grade were analyzed using the Spearman rank correlation.
Results Abnormal activations of miR-21 and STAT3 were observed in the OSCC cell lines and the tissue samples.miR-21(rs=0.879, P=0.000) and STAT3(rs=0.837, P=0.000) were positively correlated with the tumor stage classification.Survival rate was higher in the group with miR-21 overexpression than in the group with low expression.
Conclusion miR-21 and STAT3 are potential predictors for the prognosis of OSCC patients.The assessment of miR-21 and STAT3 expression can help determine a novel pathway for individualized targeted therapy.