Abstract
BACKGROUND: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is a pressing global health challenge. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as pivotal regulators. Among these, the lncRNA ANRIL (antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 locus) has a role in cancer progression. The aim of this study was to look into possible links between a certain genetic variant of lncRNA ANRIL, rs10757278 A/G, and OSCC risk and tumor features in the Iranian population. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study, enrolling 101 OSCC patients and 115 healthy controls. We took out the genomic DNA and used the tetra-primer ARMS-PCR (tetra-primer amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction) method to find the rs10757278 genotype. We evaluated the associations between genotypes and both OSCC susceptibility and various tumor characteristics. RESULTS: Although we did not observe significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies between cases and controls, we revealed compelling associations between genotypes and tumor characteristics. Genotypes AG and GG were linked to smaller tumor sizes, while genotypes with at least one wild-type allele (A) were linked to well differentiated OSCC. Specific genotypes exhibited significant associations with tumor sites, with the tongue demonstrating the strongest correlation. CONCLUSIONS: The rs10757278 A/G variant did not show a direct link with OSCC risk, but its complex effect on tumor behavior suggests that it may play a bigger role in the development of OSCC. These findings open avenues for future investigations to uncover hidden genetic interactions, and potentially inform more targeted therapeutic strategies.