hsa‑miR‑216a‑3p regulates cell proliferation in oral cancer via the Wnt3a/β‑catenin pathway

Oral cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a reported 5-year survival rate of ~50% after treatment. The treatment measures for oral cancer are very expensive and affordability is low. Thus, it is necessary to develop more effective therapies to treat oral cancer. A number of studies have found that miRNAs are invasive biomarkers and have therapeutic potential in a variety of cancers. The present study included 30 oral patients and 30 healthy controls. Clinicopathological characteristic and miR-216a-3p/β-catenin expression level of 30 oral cancer patients were analyzed. In addition, two oral cancer cell lines (HSC-6 and CAL-27) were used for mechanism-of-action study. The expression level of miR-216a-3p was higher in oral cancer patients compared with healthy controls and positively associated with tumor stage. Inhibition of miR-216a-3p potently suppressed cell viability and induced apoptosis of oral cancer cells. It was found that effects of miR-216a-3p on oral cancer were through Wnt3a signaling. It was also found that the expression level of β-catenin was higher in oral cancer patients compared with healthy controls and positively associated with tumor stage; the effects of miR-216a-3p on oral cancer were through β-catenin. In conclusion, miR-216a-3p and the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway may be interesting candidates to develop effective therapies for oral cancers.