miR-204 Targets FN1 to Suppress OSCC Progression: Integrative Bioinformatic and Clinical Expression Analysis

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore the epidemiology, molecular drivers, and particularly the role of miR-204 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression and metastasis, with a focus on its regulatory effect on the fibronectin 1 (FN1) gene. Methods: A comprehensive bioinformatic analysis of publicly available gene expression datasets was conducted to identify miR-204 target genes and associated pathways. Clinical validation was performed using qRT-PCR on 15 OSCC patient tissue samples and 15 adjacent normal tissues to quantify miR-204-3p and FN1 expression levels. Results: miR-204 was significantly downregulated in OSCC tissues compared to normal controls (fold change: –3.8, p = .004), while FN1 expression was notably increased (fold change: +4.7, p = .003). Enrichment analysis revealed key pathways involved in tumor progression including ECM–receptor interaction and focal adhesion (FDR < 0.01). The inverse correlation between miR-204 and FN1 suggests a regulatory axis contributing to enhanced tumor cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Conclusion: The miR-204/FN1 axis is emphasized as a crucial mechanism in OSCC metastasis by our combined bioinformatics and clinical validation methodology. miR-204 may be used as a therapeutic target to slow the course of OSCC and as a predictive biomarker.