Abstract
BackgroundOral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) at early stages can be misdiagnosed as an oral ulcer (OU) due to similar symptoms, such as chronic and indurated ulcer. LncRNA NCK1-AS1 has been characterized as a key player in cervical cancer, while its role in OSCC is unknown.MethodsAll participants were selected at Jiangxi Province Tumor Hospital from December 2016 to December 2018. Expression levels of NCK1-AS1 and miR-100 in plasma from both OSCC and OU patients were measured by RT-qPCR. Diagnostic analysis was performed through ROC curve. Potential interactions between NCK1-AS1 and miR-100 were detected by cell transfection experiments. Cell invasion and migration were assessed by Transwell assays.ResultsThe expression of NCK1-AS1 was upregulated in early-stage OSCC patients but not in OU patients. Upregulation of NCK1-AS1 distinguished OSCC patients from OU patients. The expression of miR-100 was inversely correlated with the expression of NCK1-AS1. Overexpression of NCK1-AS1 was followed by promoted OSCC cell invasion and migration. Overexpression of miR-100 did not affect the expression of NCK1-AS1 but inhibited the role of NCK1-AS1.ConclusionsTherefore, NCK1-AS1 may promote the metastasis of OSCC by downregulating miR-100.
Highlights
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) at early stages can be misdiagnosed as an oral ulcer (OU) due to similar symptoms, such as chronic and indurated ulcer
The expression levels of NCK1AS1 in plasma were significantly higher in OSCC group in comparison to that in OU and healthy participant groups (Fig. 1, p < 0.05)
No significant differences in the expression levels of plasma NCK1-AS1 were found between OU and control groups (Fig. 1)
Summary
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) at early stages can be misdiagnosed as an oral ulcer (OU) due to similar symptoms, such as chronic and indurated ulcer. LncRNA NCK1-AS1 has been characterized as a key player in cervical cancer, while its role in OSCC is unknown. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) accounts for more than 80% of head and neck cancer, which is a common malignancy in clinical practices [1, 2]. Alcohol abuse, betel quid chewing consumption and HPV infections have been identified as the major risk factors for OSCC [3]. The molecular mechanism of OSCC pathogenesis remains unclear. OSCC can be diagnosed as other oral lesions [5], leading to delayed treatment. Novel therapeutic targets and accurate diagnostic markers are urgently needed
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