Silencing circular RNA hsa_circ_0004491 promotes metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract Aims Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an oral cavity malignancy which is the eighth most common cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of OSCC remain largely unknown, and effective methods for the prognosis and diagnosis of this disease are lacking. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are widely expressed among mammals. A growing number of studies have shown that circRNA expression is altered in cancers. In this study, we investigated the role of hsa_circ_0004491 in OSCC cell migration and invasion and examined the clinical characteristics associated with its expression. Main methods Hsa_circ_0004491 expression was examined in 40 paired OSCC and normal tissue samples using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Wound healing, transwell and western blotting assays were conducted in OSCC cells up- or down-regulation of hsa_circ_0004491 to evaluate changes in cell migration, invasion and protein expression. Keyfindings qRT-PCR analysis revealed that hsa_circ_0004491 was significantly downregulated in OSCC tissues compared with paired normal tissues (P  Significance The expression level of hsa_circ_0004491 affects the migration and invasion of OSCC cells. Hsa_circ_0004491 may therefore play a role in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.