Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of circular RNA hsa_circ_0002203 on the malignant biological behavior of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. METHODS: Forty patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma were included. Real-time fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (PCR） was used to detect the expression level of circular RNA hsa_circ_
0002203 in OSCC and corresponding adjacent tissues, OSCC cell lines, and human oral keratinocytes (HOK). SCC15 and CAL27 cells were transfected with lenti-virus. The expression level of circular RNA hsa_circ_0002203 was detected by real-time fluorescent PCR. Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting assay (CCK-8). Cell migration and invasion ability was detected by scratch assay and Transwell migration and invasion assay. Apoptosis level was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of corresponding protein was detected by Western blot. Murine tumor formation experiments were performed to observe the effect of hsa_circ_0002203 on the tumorigenesis of SCC15 cells in vivo. RESULTS: The expression of circular RNA hsa_circ_0002203 in OSCC tissues was lower than that in adjacent tissues (P<0.01), and the expression in OSCC cell lines was lower than that in HOK (P<0.001). Hsa_circ_
0002203 expression increased after the lentiviral infection of SCC15 and CAL27. The proliferation, migration, and invasion of SCC15 and CAL27 reduced, and apoptosis level was promoted. The tumor volume, weight decreased, and growth rate of nude mice decreased. CONCLUSIONS: The low expression of circular RNA hsa_circ_0002203 in oral squamous cell carcinoma can enhance the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells and inhibit tumor cell apoptosis.