The expression levels of miR-124-3p and brain-derived nerve growth factor （BDNF） mRNA in the OSCC tissue and OSCC cells were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR （RT-qPCR） method， and the relationship between the expression of miR-124-3p and the survival rate of the OSCC patients was analyzed；the volumes and masses of tumor of the nude mice in various groups were analyzed；the expression levels of BDNF protein in HSC2 and KON cells were detected by Western blotting method；the HSC2 and KON cells were divided into miR-124-3p group（transfected miR-124-3p），miR-NC group（transfected with miR-NC），inhibitor-NC（transfected with inhibitor-NC），miR-124-3p inhibitor group（transfected with miR-124-3p inhibitor），siBDNF group（transfected with siBDNF），BDNF group（transfected with BDNF），and miR-124-3p+BDNF group（transfected with miR-124-3+BDNF）.The survival rates of the HSC2 and KON cells were detected by CCK-8 method，and the invasion rates of HSC2 and KON cells in various groups were detected by Transwell experiment； the targeting relationship between miR-124-3p and BDNF was also detected by double luciferase reporter gene experiment， and the targeting relationship between miR-124-3p and BDNF was detected by RNA immunoprecipitation experiment.

The expressions of miR-124-3p in OSCC tissue and HSC2 and KON cells were low， and the expression of BDNF mRNA was high；the expression of miR-124-3p was correlated with the survival rate of the OSCC patients（P<0.05）. Compared with miR-NC group， the survival rates and the invasion rates of the HSC2 and KON cells in miR-124-3p group were decreased （P<0.05）， and the tumor volumes and mass of the nude mice were decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with inhibitor-NC group， the survival rates and the invasion rates of the HSC2 and KON cells in siBDNF group were decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with inhibitor-NC group， the survival rates and the invasion rates of the HSC2 and KON cells in BDNF group were increased （P<0.05）.BDNF was a potential target of miR-124-3p. Compared with miR-124-3p group， the survival rates and the invasion rates of the HSC2 and KON cells in miR-124-3p+BDNF group were increased （P<0.05）.

miR-124-3p can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of the OSCC cells， and its mechanism may be related to the targeted binding of BDNF.