OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of microRNA-214(miR-214) in advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and its effects on the invasion, migration and colone formation of FaDu cells.

METHODSmiR-214 expression in 30 cases of advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and normal hypopharyngeal mucosa tissues was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). miR-214 was upregulated through transfecting the overexpression vector hsa-mir-214 into FaDu cells. The influences of miR-214 upregulation on the invasion, migration, clone formation and Twist expression were measured by Transwell invasion, Transwell migration, plate clone formation and Western blot assays, respectively.

RESULTSThe expression of miR-214 in advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues (0.311 ± 0.206) was significantly less than normal hypopharyngeal mucosa tissues (1.620 ± 1.394; t = 5.09, P < 0.05) . The expression of miR-214 was notably upregulated after tranfected with hsa-mir-214 compared with the negative control group (t = 6.347, P < 0.05). The migration and invasion ability of FaDu cells transfeced with hsa-mir-214 was decreased by comparison with negative control cells (t = 11.6, P < 0.01; t = 6.499, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference of the average clony number and the cloning efficiency between the experimental and negative control groups (t = 0.592, P > 0.05).

RESULTSof Western blot assay showed that, Twist expression in the miR-214-overexpressed group was apparently decreased compared with that in the control group (t = 6.545, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSmiR-214 is expressed at a low level in advanced hypopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, and can obviously inhibit the invasion and migration abilities of FaDu cells, possibly because of its inhibiting effect on Twist expression. Additionally, miR-214 plays no significant role in the proliferation of FaDu cells.