Metastatic Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Research Articles

Elucidating the Role of Let-7d-5p and OLR1 in the Progression and Prognosis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma via FAK/P53 Signaling Axis.

Despite advances in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) diagnosis and treatment, the five-year survival rate remains low, underscoring the need for improved biomarkers and therapeutic strategies. This study investigated the role of let-7d-5p microRNA (miRNA) and its target gene OLR1 in OSCC, focusing on their implications in tumor progression, metastasis and potential as therapeutic targets. Employing next-generation sequencing and bioinformatic tools, we profiled differentially expressed miRNAs in metastatic OSCC cell lines, identifying let-7d-5p as a key down-regulated miRNA and OLR1 as a novel target of let-7d-5p. We validated this interaction using luciferase reporter assays and studied the biological effects of modulating let-7d-5p and OLR1 expression on OSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and stemness. Additionally, we analyzed clinical data to establish the relevance of OLR1 expression in OSCC prognosis. Our findings revealed let-7d-5p as a potent suppressor of OSCC metastasis, primarily by targeting and down-regulating OLR1. OLR1-silencing reduced OSCC cell invasiveness, migration, and stemness, indicating its prominent role in tumor progression. Mechanistically, let-7d-5p modulates a signaling cascade involving FAK, SRC, PAXILLIN, and p53, influencing cellular apoptosis and chemoresistance. Clinically, elevated OLR1 expression significantly correlates with advanced OSCC stages and poorer survival rates, highlighting its potential as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Our study uncovers the significance of the let-7d-5p-OLR1 axis in OSCC pathogenesis, offering novel insights for future therapeutic interventions.

Extracellular vesicles from Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans exhibit potential antitumorigenic effects in oral cancer: a comparative in vitro study

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans is an opportunistic Gram-negative periodontopathogen strongly associated with periodontitis and infective endocarditis. Recent evidence suggests that periodontopathogens can influence the initiation and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Herein we aimed to investigate the effect of A. actinomycetemcomitans-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) on OSCC cell behavior compared with EVs from periodontopathogens known to associate with carcinogenesis. EVs were isolated from: A. actinomycetemcomitans and its mutant strains lacking the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-antigen; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Fusobacterium nucleatum; and Parvimonas micra. The effect of EVs on primary and metastatic OSCC cells was assessed using cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and tubulogenesis assays. A. actinomycetemcomitans-derived EVs reduced the metastatic cancer cell proliferation, invasion, tubulogenesis, and increased apoptosis, mostly in CDT- and LPS O-antigen-dependent manner. EVs from F. nucleatum impaired the metastatic cancer cell proliferation and induced the apoptosis rates in all OSCC cell lines. EVs enhanced cancer cell migration regardless of bacterial species. In sum, this is the first study demonstrating the influence of A. actinomycetemcomitans-derived EVs on oral cancer in comparison with other periodontopathogens. Our findings revealed a potential antitumorigenic effect of these EVs on metastatic OSCC cells, which warrants further in vivo investigations.

Metabolic Patterns of High-Invasive and Low-Invasive Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells Using Quantitative Metabolomics and 13C-Glucose Tracing.

Most current metabolomics studies of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are mainly focused on identifying potential biomarkers for early screening and diagnosis, while few studies have investigated the metabolic profiles promoting metastasis. In this study, we aimed to explore the altered metabolic pathways associated with metastasis of OSCC. Here, we identified four OSCC cell models (CAL27, HN6, HSC-3, SAS) that possess different invasive heterogeneity via the transwell invasion assay and divided them into high-invasive (HN6, SAS) and low-invasive (CAL27, HSC-3) cells. Quantitative analysis and stable isotope tracing using [U-13C6] glucose were performed to detect the altered metabolites in high-invasive OSCC cells, low-invasive OSCC cells and normal human oral keratinocytes (HOK). The metabolic changes in the high-invasive and low-invasive cells included elevated glycolysis, increased fatty acid metabolism and an impaired TCA cycle compared with HOK. Moreover, pathway analysis demonstrated significant differences in fatty acid biosynthesis; arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism; and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism between the high-invasive and low-invasive cells. Furthermore, the high-invasive cells displayed a significant increase in the percentages of 13C-glycine, 13C-palmitate, 13C-stearic acid, 13C-oleic acid, 13C-AA and estimated FADS1/2 activities compared with the low-invasive cells. Overall, this exploratory study suggested that the metabolic differences related to the metastatic phenotypes of OSCC cells were concentrated in glycine metabolism, de novo fatty acid synthesis and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) metabolism, providing a comprehensive understanding of the metabolic alterations and a basis for studying related molecular mechanisms in metastatic OSCC cells.

Characterization of DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt as Prognostic Biomarkers in the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective Oral cancer has a five-year survival rate of 68%, and the methods used to assess it still relyheavily on morphology. Protein biomarkers can potentially increase the predictive power of histopathological evaluation. This study aims to examine the expression of three closely linked proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); protein deglycase (DJ-1), an oncogene, phosphatase, and tensin homolog (PTEN), a tumor suppressor gene, and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), the activated form of a vital serine/threonine kinase, which is involved in the oncogenesis of several human malignancies, throughout the tumor progression steps to establish their potential as prognostic biomarkers. Study design Western blot analysis was carried out using four different cell lines representing the successive steps of OSCC progression, including normal oral keratinocytes, dysplastic oral keratinocytes, locally invasive OSCC, and metastatic OSCC. Results DJ-1 expression was found to be upregulated gradually throughout the successive steps of OSCC progressionfrom normal to dysplastic to locally invasive to metastatic OSCC. PTEN expression showed an overall opposite trend. Interestingly, a significant downregulation of p-Akt was seen in the locally invasive OSCC cells, although it was followed by a significant increase in p-Akt expression in the metastatic OSCC cell line, which is consistent with the role of p-Akt in the motility and migration of cancer cells. Conclusion This study documented trends in expression patterns of three important signaling molecules, DJ-1, PTEN, and p-Akt, in normal, premalignant, and malignant oral keratinocytes. The oncogenic DJ-1 and tumor suppressor PTEN were expressed in a manner consistent with their respective roles in tumorigenesis, while p-Akt only showed a significant upregulation in the metastatic OSCC cells. Overall, all three proteins exhibited unique trends throughout the progressive stages of OSCC tumor progression, thereby adding to their potential utility as prognostic biomarkers for oral cancer patients.

Characterization of Cornulin as a Molecular Biomarker for the Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Introduction It has been shown that the expression of the epidermal differentiation marker, Cornulin, declines with the progression of squamous cell carcinomas of several tissue types. Objectives This study aims to examine Cornulin expression at the cellular level in various cell lines representative of the successive progression steps of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a major type of head and neck cancer. This can pave the way for the utilization of this novel biomarker as a diagnostic and prognostic indicator for oral cancer and help guide treatment options. Study design Western blotting was performed to measure Cornulin expression levels using standardized cell lysates from four different cell lines representing the successive steps of OSCC progression. Specifically, primary gingival keratinocytes, dysplastic oral keratinocytes (DOK), squamous cell carcinoma 25 (SCC25) cells, and Detroit 562 cells were used to represent normal oral keratinocytes, DOKs, locally invasive OSCC cells, and metastatic OSCC cells, respectively. Results Cornulin expression was found to be downregulated with the progression from normal to premalignant to malignant cells. Quantitative analysis revealed that Cornulin is significantly downregulated by 3.4 folds in DOK cells, by 23.7 folds in SCC25 cells, and by 5.2 folds in Detroit 562 cells compared to normal gingival keratinocytes. Interestingly, Cornulin was upregulated by 4.5 folds in the metastatic Detroit 562 cell line compared to the locally invasive SCC25 cells. Conclusion Altogether, Cornulin proved to be differentially expressed at the cellular level in cell lines representative of the successive steps of OSCC progression. Specifically, we documented a gradual decrease in Cornulin expression with the progression from normal to premalignant to malignant cells. Notably, there is a significant increase in the expression of Cornulin in the metastatic cell line Detroit 562 compared to the locally invasive cell line SCC25, suggesting a possible correlation with the biological behavior and unique characteristics of these two different phenotypes.

Volume-regulated chloride channel regulates cell proliferation and is involved in the possible interaction between TMEM16A and LRRC8A in human metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma cells

ObjectivesVolume-regulated anion channels (VRACs), expressed in various cells, play an important role in cell volume regulation. Despite being physiologically defined almost half a century ago, only the molecular candidates of VRAC, TMEM16A, LRRC8A, and bestrophin-1 (BEST1), are known. Here, we aimed to explore the functional significance of VRAC in, HST-1, an oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line. MethodsCell proliferation assays, RT-PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry were used to estimate changes in gene expression and cell proliferation. Ion channel activity was recorded using the patch-clamp technique. Specific genes were knocked-down by siRNA assays. ResultsVRAC, identified as a hypotonicity-induced current, was highly functional and associated with the proliferation of HST-1 cells but not of HaCaT (a normal keratinocyte) cells. The pharmacological profile of VRAC in HST-1 was similar to that reported previously. DCPIB, a specific VRAC inhibitor, completely inhibited VRAC and proliferation of HST-1 cells, eventually leading to apoptosis. VRAC in HST-1 was attenuated by the knockdown of TMEM16A and LRRC8A, while knockdown of BEST1 affected cell proliferation. In situ proximity ligation assay showed that TMEM16A and LRRC8A co-localized under isotonic conditions (300 mOsM) but were separated under hypotonic conditions (250 mOsM) on the plasma membrane. ConclusionsWe have found that VRAC acts to regulate the proliferation of human metastatic OSCC cells and the composition of VRAC may involve in the interactions between TMEM16A and LRRC8A in HST-1 cells.

GANT61 Reduces Hedgehog Molecule (GLI1) Expression and Promotes Apoptosis in Metastatic Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Due to its importance in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the Hedgehog (HH) pathway is considered a potential therapeutic target. We investigated the effects of GANT61, a GLI inhibitor, on HH gene expression, as well as on metastatic OSCC cell proliferation and death. Following culture in DMEM medium, cytotoxicity of GANT61 against different tumor and non-tumor cell types was assessed by alamarBlue assays. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed that the metastatic HSC3 cell line was the most sensitive (IC50: 36 µM) to the tested compound. The compound’s effects on the expression of HH pathways components were analyzed by qPCR and Western blot; cell viability was analyzed by trypan blue assay and flow cytometry were used to investigate cell cycle phase, morphology, and death patterns in HSC3 cells. A significant reduction in mRNA levels of the GLI1 transcription factor was found after 12 h of treatment withGANT61. Protein expression levels of other HH pathway components (PTCH1, SHH, and Gli1) and HSC3 cell viability also decreased after 24 h of treatment. Cell cycle analysis and death pattern evaluations revealed significantly increased nuclear fragmentation in sub-G1 phase, as well as cell death due to apoptosis. In conclusion, the significantly reduced GLI1 gene expression seen in response to the GLI inhibitor indicates diminished downstream activation in HH pathway components. GANT61 significantly reduced cell viability in the metastatic cell line of OSCC and promoted a significant increase in nuclear fragmentation and cell death by apoptosis.

HSP‐enriched properties of extracellular vesicles involve survival of metastatic oral cancer cells

Cancer cells often secrete extracellular vesicles (EVs) that carry heat shock proteins (HSPs) with roles in tumor progression. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) belongs to head and neck cancers (HNC) whose lymph-node-metastases often lead to poor prognosis. We have examined the EV proteome of OSCC cells and found abundant secretion of HSP90-enriched EVs in lymph-node-metastatic OSCC cells. Double knockdown of HSP90α and HSP90β, using small interfering RNA significantly reduced the survival of the metastatic OSCC cells, although single knockdown of each HSP90 was ineffective. Elevated expression of these HSP90 family members was found to correlate with poor prognosis of HNC cases. Thus, elevated HSP90 levels in secreted vesicles are potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in metastatic OSCC.

LncRNAAC132217.4, a KLF8-regulated long non-coding RNA, facilitates oral squamous cell carcinoma metastasis by upregulating IGF2 expression

Increasing evidence has revealed the aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in many cancer types, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, limited investigations report metastasis-related lncRNAs in OSCC. Herein, we report the identification of dysregulated intergenic lncRNAs in the highly metastatic OSCC cell line, UM-SCC6H. One of the lncRNAs, termed AC132217.4, was remarkably upregulated and promoted cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by upregulating IGF2 expression. Further mechanistic studies revealed that AC132217.4 interacted with the 3′UTR of IGF2 mRNA and increased its stability, leading to increased IGF2 levels. Thereafter, we found that KLF8 binds to the upstream sequence of AC132217.4, activating its expression at the transcriptional level, which accelerated OSCC metastasis via the AC132217.4-IGF2 axis both in vitro and in vivo. We also revealed that the expression level of AC132217.4 was increased in OSCC tissues, and this elevation correlated with KLF8 and IGF2 expression. Thus, our data demonstrate that the KLF8-AC132217.4-IGF2 signalling pathway plays a critical role in OSCC metastasis.

Downregulation of miR-221 Inhibits Cell Migration and Invasion through Targeting Methyl-CpG Binding Domain Protein 2 in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the most frequent of all oral cancers, is a type of highly malignant tumors with a high capacity to invade locally and form distant metastases. An increasing number of studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in regulating cancer metastasis and invasion. In the present study, we detected the expression of miR-221 in two highly metastatic OSCC cell lines and two OSCC cell lines that are less metastatic using quantitative real-time PCR analysis (qRT-PCR). The qRT-PCR results indicate that miR-221 is upregulated in highly metastatic OSCC cell lines. Then, miR-221 expression was knocked down by transfection with miR-221 inhibitor, and UM1 cell migration and invasion were assessed using transwell migration and invasion assays. The results indicate that inhibition of miR-221 suppressed migration and invasion of UM1 cells. Furthermore, methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) was identified as a direct target gene of miR-221. Additionally, MBD2 silencing could partly reverse the effect of miR-221 on cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, downregulation of miR-221 inhibits cell migration and invasion at least partially through targeting MBD2 in the human OSCC cell line UM1.

Abstract 2091: Metastatic oral cancer cell adhesion to vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells is sialyl Lewis A/X-dependent

Abstract Background: The vast majority of mortalities from cancer, including oral cancer, are due to metastatic disease. Previous studies have shown that sialylated cell surface glycoconjugates mediate the extravasation of circulating tumor cells from several different tumor types. The aim of this study was to investigate whether metastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells overexpress and employ sialyl Lewis A/X (sLeA/X) to adhere to E-selectin on endothelial cells. Materials and methods: Twenty-one matched-pairs of primary and nodal metastatic OSCC tissue sections were evaluated immunohistochemically using anti-sLeA (clone KM231) and anti-sLeX (clone KM93) monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). q-PCR was performed to measure relative transcript expression of a panel of glycogens potentially involved in sLeA/X synthesis in OSCC cells. sLeA/X cell surface expression was assessed by flow cytometry and fluorescence immunocytochemistry. sLeA/X involvement in OSCC cell adhesion behavior was evaluated using static and flow adhesion assays employing recombinant E-selectin (rE-selectin) and TNF-α-stimulated human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HuDMEC) or human lymphatic endothelial cells (HLEC), respectively. Several approaches to prevent OSCC cell binding to rE-selectin or HuDMEC were tested including the use of anti-sLeA/X mAbs, neuraminidase, fucosidase, IELLQAR®, chondroitin sulfate, swainsonine and FUT3 siRNA. Results: Immunohistochemistry analysis showed sLeA/X to be mainly expressed by well- to moderately-differentiated OSCC. sLeA/X expression on primary OSCC correlates with lymph node metastasis but not tumor differentiation status. The metastatic OSCC cells, TR146, displayed higher sLeA/X expression than the non-metastatic OSCC cells, SCC4 and Cal27, and this was at least partially related to up-regulated gene expression of fucosyltransferase III. Knocking down FUT3 expression in TR146 cells reduced sLeX but not sLeA levels. TR146 cells adhered to rE-selectin and TNF-α-stimulated HuDMEC/HLEC in significantly greater numbers than SCC4 cells. Attachment of TR146 cells to rE-selectin was significantly reduced following incubation with anti-sLeA/X mAbs, neuraminidase and FUT3 siRNA. Treatment of TR146 cells with neuraminidase also caused a significant decrease in cell adhesion to HuDMEC under hydrodynamic flow conditions. Conclusions: Elevated levels of sLeX in metastatic OSCC cells results from increased FUT3 expression. Metastatic OSCC cell binding to HuDMEC/HLEC is sLeA/X-mediated and may be a target for anti-metastasis therapy. Citation Format: Ahmed Alkishi, Syed Ali Khurram, Martin Thornhill, Craig Murdoch. Metastatic oral cancer cell adhesion to vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells is sialyl Lewis A/X-dependent. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2091. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2091

Involvement of Nrf2-Mediated Upregulation of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Mollugin-Induced Growth Inhibition and Apoptosis in Human Oral Cancer Cells

Although previous studies have shown that mollugin, a bioactive phytochemical isolated from Rubia cordifolia L. (Rubiaceae), exhibits antitumor effects, its biological activity in oral cancer has not been reported. We thus investigated the effects and putative mechanism of apoptosis induced by mollugin in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells (OSCCs). Results show that mollugin induces cell death in a dose-dependent manner in primary and metastatic OSCCs. Mollugin-induced cell death involved apoptosis, characterized by the appearance of nuclear shrinkage, flow cytometric analysis of sub-G1 phase arrest, and annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR revealed that mollugin suppressed activation of NF-κB and NF-κB-dependent gene products involved in antiapoptosis (Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl), invasion (MMP-9 and ICAM-1), and angiogenesis (FGF-2 and VEGF). Furthermore, mollugin induced the activation of p38, ERK, and JNK and the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and nuclear factor E2–related factor 2 (Nrf2). Mollugin-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis of HO-1 were reversed by an HO-1 inhibitor and Nrf2 siRNA. Collectively, this is the first report to demonstrate the effectiveness of mollugin as a candidate for a chemotherapeutic agent in OSCCs via the upregulation of the HO-1 and Nrf2 pathways and the downregulation of NF-κB.

STAT3 signal transduction through interleukin-22 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Interleukin (IL)-22 is a member of the IL-10 family. Its main targets are epithelial cells, not immune cells. We examined IL-22 signal transduction in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that IL-22R was expressed more highly in OSCC compared to normal regions. An IL-22R signal was also observed in metastatic OSCC cells in the lymph node. RT-PCR showed that the human OSCC cell lines MISK81-5, HSC-3, HSC-4, SAS and SQUU-B expressed IL-22 receptor chains. Immunoblotting showed that IL-22 induced a transient tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 (pY705-STAT3) in MISK81-5 cells. The change in the serine phosphorylation of STAT3 was subtle during the examination periods. Simultaneously, pY705-STAT3 activation in HSC-3 cells was undetectable after IL-22 stimulation. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that IL-22 induced the translocation of phosphorylated STAT3 into the nucleus of MISK81-5 cells. IL-22 temporarily upregulated the expression of anti-apoptotic and mitogenic genes such as Bcl-x, survivin and c-Myc, as well as SOCS3. IL-22 transiently activated ERK1/2 and induced a delayed phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase, but negligibly involved the activation of NF-κB in MISK81-5 cells. MISK81-5 and SQUU-B cells treated with IL-22 showed mild cellular proliferation. MISK81-5, HSC-4 and SAS cells treated with IL-22 downregulated the keratinocyte differentiation-related genes compared with unstimulated cells. Conversely, STAT3 suppression by STAT3 siRNA strongly disrupted the down-regulation of these genes by IL-22, but it did not significantly affect the activation of ERK1/2 by IL-22. The OSCC cells used in this study upregulated the expression of SERPINB3/4 (SCCA1/2), well-known SCC markers, following treatment with IL-22. These results indicate that IL-22 differentially activates the STAT3 signaling system depending on the type of OSCC. IL-22 may therefore play a role in tumor growth, cell differentiation and progression through STAT3-dependent and -independent pathways.

Functional invadopodia formation through stabilization of the PDPN transcript by IMP-3 and cancer-stromal crosstalk for PDPN expression

We previously reported that insulin-like growth factor-II mRNA-binding protein-3 (IMP-3) depletion (IMP-3(Δ)) was shown to inhibit invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix degradation capacity in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. In this study, we found that IMP-3(Δ) cells significantly downregulated the podoplanin (PDPN) level, which resulted in a loss of extracellular matrix degradation activity, although invadopodia was still thriving. From RNA in situ hybridization using a digoxigenin-labeled 3'UTR recognition probe of PDPN and reporter assay with 3'UTR of the PDPN gene cloned downstream from the luciferase reporter gene, we revealed that IMP-3 depletion was shown to be downregulated, which most probably lowered PDPN gene expression by reducing mRNA stabilization. In a xenograft model, PDPN depletion was the cause of a decrease in tumor volume and regional infiltration into nearby stroma. Taken together, transforming growth factor beta 1 increased PDPN expression, which potentiated cancer invasion through increased invadopodia formation and extracellular matrix degradation in the low invasive OSCC cell line. Reciprocally, interleukin-1 beta secreted by OSCC cells, stimulated transforming growth factor beta 1 secretion from stromal fibroblasts to induce PDPN expression in OSCC cells. In addition, a retrospective investigation of OSCC patients found that IMP-3 and PDPN expression significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis of OSCC patients. Moreover, co-expression of IMP-3 and PDPN were frequently detected both in primary and lymph nodes metastatic OSCC cells using immunohistochemical dual staining. Thus, the IMP-3-PDPN axis may be a sensitive target molecule in anti-invadopodia therapy for the treatment of metastatic cancers.

Abstract 2209: Integrative analysis of DNA copy number and gene expression in metastatic tumor cells from oral squamous cell carcinoma for the identification of genes associated with survival

Abstract To examine the impact of copy number aberrations (CNA) on gene expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) metastasis, we used Affymetrix 250K Nsp single nucleotide polymorphism arrays and U133 Plus 2.0 expression arrays, respectively, to interrogate the DNA and RNA from metastatic OSCC cells isolated using laser capture microdissection from lymph nodes of 20 patients. Overall, CNA accounted for expression changes in about 30% of the transcripts studied. With a false discovery rate < 1%, 530 transcripts (461 genes) were identified as to have significantly correlated CNA and expression. When tested using an independent dataset with expression profiles for 148 primary OSCC and 45 normal oral mucosa, the genes were enriched with candidates associated with OSCC (vs. normal oral mucosa) (n=174 transcripts differentially expressed) and OSCC-specific survival (n=32 transcripts associated), as compared to a random gene set of the same size (p < 0.001). We then fit two Cox models using the first two principal components derived from these two gene sets (‘174-transcript PCA’ or ‘32-transcript PCA’), and two other models that combined stage with either the 174- or the 32-transcript PCA score. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) for a model combining stage with 174-gene PCA was significantly higher than that for a model with stage alone (AUC=0.80 vs. 0.72, p = 0.042). Further investigation is warranted to confirm these findings and to examine the biologic role of these copy number-associated transcripts in OSCC metastasis and their potential as therapeutic targets. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2209.

Increased EMMPRIN (CD 147) expression during oral carcinogenesis

Gene expression profiling of oral premalignant (OPM) cells and normal oral epithelial (NOR) cells showed that EMMPRIN expression was markedly upregulated in OPM cells compared to NOR cells. We used an oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression model composed of cell lines, organotypic cultures and tissue specimens to characterize EMMPRIN expression patterns by microarray analysis, qRT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. EMMPRIN levels are elevated in OPM and primary and metastatic OSCC cells as compared to NOR. EMMPRIN was detected as high and low glycosylated forms in the OPM and OSCC cellular extracts and was released in the media by OSCC cells but not by OPM cells. EMMPRIN expression in an organotypic culture model of normal and OPM mucosae mirrored the expression patterns in the respective tissues in vivo. EMMPRIN expression was limited to basal cells of normal, benign hyperkeratotic and inflammatory (lichen planus) oral mucosa. EMMPRIN expression is increased in dysplastic leukoplakias spreading to more superficial layers, and its expression levels correlated significantly with the degree of dysplasia. Primary and metastatic OSCC showed strong cell surface expression of EMMPRIN. These results suggest that EMMPRIN overexpression occurs at a very early stage of oral carcinogenesis and plays a contributing role in OSCC tumorigenesis.