Shao-Bo Ouyang - Department of Oral Prosthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Nanchang ۳۳۰۰۰۶, China
Jun Wang - Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang ۳۳۰۰۰۶, China
Si-Yu Zhao - Department of Oral Prosthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Nanchang ۳۳۰۰۰۶, China
Xian-Hua Zhang - Department of Oral Prosthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Nanchang ۳۳۰۰۰۶, China
Lan Liao - Department of Oral Prosthodontics, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Nanchang University, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine, Nanchang ۳۳۰۰۰۶, China

Objective(s): Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a new class of non-coding RNAs, have emerged as important regulators during tumorigenesis. However, the functions of circRNAs have not been completely clarified in the progression of cancers. In our study, a novel circRNA hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ was investigated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues and cell lines. Materials and Methods: The expression profile of circRNAs in OSCC tumor tissues was performed by high-throughput sequencing. The CCK-۸ wound healing and apoptosis assay were measured in OSCC cell lines after transfection with si-۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ or si-NC. Results: We discovered that hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ was significantly increased in OSCC tissues and cell lines compared with their corresponding control group. Knockdown of hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ inhibited proliferation and migration of OSCC cell lines in vitro. In addition, inhibition of hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ dramatically induced apoptosis of OSCC cells. We further found that high hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ levels in OSCC patients resulted in a poorer prognosis than in patients with low hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ levels. Conclusion: These findings indicated that hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱ correlated with the progression of OSCC and might be a new therapeutic target for the treatment of OSCC.

Apoptosis, CircRNA, Hsa_circ_۰۱۰۹۲۹۱, Oral squamous cell carcinoma, Prognosis