OBJECTIVETo detect antisense-micro ribonucleic acid-21 oligonucleotide (AS-miR-21)'s inhibiting effect to tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODSLiving image and TUNEL experiments were performed, based upon the xenograft animal models set up by introduction of Tca8113-luc cells which were stably transfected with pGL6 luciferase report gene plasmid into nude mice, while the tumors were injected with AS-miR-21.

RESULTSTca8113-luc cell line which steadily expressed luciferase activity was constructed by transfecting pGL6 report gene plasmid. The subcutaneous tumor formation rate was much higher in nude mice introduced with the cells, and the tumors grew well. After injection of AS-miR-21 into mice tumors, it was obviously viewed that tumors grew slower, the volume of the tumors was smaller, the photon number in live body imaging was getting less, the necrosis in the tumor specimens was rare, cell nuclei was getting smaller, dyeing color was lighter, heteromorphism and new vessels were decreased, micro ribonucleic acid-21 expression in tumor cells was considerably lower, and apoptotic index was increased.

CONCLUSIONAll the results indicate that the injection of AS-miR-21 can inhibit growth of tongue squamous cell carcinoma in nude mice model, and effectively promote cell apoptosis of tongue squamous cell carcinoma.