Assessment of miR-760 expression as a potential diagnostic biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma: A RT-PCR study

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is an important global health burden and is often diagnosed at an advanced stage. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are evolving as key regulators of cancer development and progression, with potential roles as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Among them, microRNA-760 (miR-760) has shown tumour-suppressive activity in several cancers; however, its role in oral squamous cell carcinoma remains unclear.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression pattern of miRNA-760 in tissues of oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to normal oral mucosa using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and to assess its potential clinical utility as a diagnostic biomarker.

Thirty histologically confirmed oral squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples and 20 healthy oral mucosal tissue samples were analysed. Total ribonucleic acid was extracted from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections, converted to complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA), and subjected to (qRT-PCR). Small nuclear RNA U6 was used as the internal reference gene. Delta cycle (ΔCt) threshold values were calculated, and relative expression of miR-760 was determined using the method described as 'two to the power of negative delta cycle threshold (2^-ΔΔCt)'. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups statistically.

The expression of miR-760 was significantly higher in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues. The mean (ΔCt) threshold value for the OSCC group was 1.93 ± 4.04, compared to -1.56 ± 5.11 in the healthy control group (P < 0.001). Relative quantification using the (2^-ΔΔCt) cycle threshold method showed a 1.79-fold up-regulation of miR-760 in OSCC tissues. These findings differ from its downregulation in other malignancies and suggest a possible tissue-specific function in oral carcinogenesis.

The up-regulation of miR-760 was found in OSCC tissues. This proves that the distinct expression pattern highlights its potential role as a biomarker for early detection. Further studies are needed to explore its biological role and clinical relevance in oral cancer.