Introduction
Numerous studies have demonstrated that decreased expression of miR-143 is frequently observed in different cancer types, which can lead to an elevated probability of cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, invasion, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Among, all head and neck cancers, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most commonly occurring type. Thus, the aim of this research is to explore the possibility of scrutinizing the plausibility correlation between a functional polymorphism (i.e., rs4705342) located in the flanking region of miR-143 and the susceptibility of Iranian individuals to squamous cell carcinoma.
Methods
we recruited a total of 245 participants in this cross-sectional study, consisting of 95 patients diagnosed with OSCC and 150 healthy controls. The tetra-primer ARMS-PCR method was used to genotype the rs4705342 polymorphism. This method is a highly accurate and validated technique for detecting genetic variations. The genotyping results were further validated through DNA sequencing to ensure accuracy and minimize errors.
Results
Our analysis of the allele and genotype frequencies of the miR-143 rs4705342 polymorphism revealed significant differences between OSCC cases and controls. Using the chi-square test, we found that the P-value was less than 0.05, which indicates that the null hypothesis of no significant difference in gene expression between the two groups can be rejected. Therefore, our findings imply that the rs4705342 polymorphism might be linked with a higher susceptibility to OSCC in the Iranian population.
Conclusion
We have discovered evidence that supports the notion that the presence of the miR-143 rs4705342 polymorphism may be a contributing factor in the development of OSCC in the Iranian population. However, further studies, sample sizes and diverse populations are needed to better evaluate the significance of this genetic variation in OSCC pathogenesis. Overall, our findings emphasize the importance of identifying genetic factors that may influence cancer risk and the need for continued research to improve the prevention and treatment of this disease.