MicroRNA-96-5p promotes proliferation, invasion and EMT of oral carcinoma cells by directly targeting FOXF2

Recently, microRNA-96-5p (miR-96-5p) has been reported to function as both a tumor suppressor and oncogene in several cancer types, including gastric cancer, hepatocellular cancer and lung cancer. However, the biological function of miR-96-5p and its precise mechanisms in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have not been well clarified. The aim of this study was to study the roles of miR-96-5p/FOXF2 axis in OSCC. In this study, the miR-96-5p level was dramatically enhanced in OSCC tissues and cell lines, and the FOXF2 expression was significantly reduced. In addition, the FOXF2 expression was negatively related to the miR-96-5p level in OSCC tissues. Furthermore, downregulation of miR-96-5p obviously restrained OSCC cell proliferation, invasion and EMT. We confirmed that miR-96-5p could directly target FOXF2 by luciferase reporter assay. Moreover, knockdown of FOXF2 also could markedly promote the proliferation, invasion and EMT of OSCC cells. Finally, overexpression of FOXF2 in OSCC cells partially reversed the promoted effects of miR-96-5p mimic. Knockdown of miR-96-5p restrained OSCC cells proliferation, invasion and EMT via regulation of FOXF2.