What role do mucins have in the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma? A systematic review

Potential ferroptosis-related diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in laryngeal cancer

PURPOSE

Laryngeal cancer (LC) is a common malignant tumor of the head and neck. However, the relationship between ferroptosis and LC is still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify potential ferroptosis-related biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in LC.

METHODS

We screened differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to ferroptosis in LC from the TCGA and FerrDb database. DEGs were identified and enrichment by GO/KEGG, GSEA, GSVA analysis. PPI analysis was performed using String and Cytoscape, then hub genes were extracted. Furthermore, ROC analysis, pan-cancer analysis, gene mutation analysis, immune infiltration correlation analysis and clinical correlation analysis of hub genes were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 59 DEGs were screened, which were more significantly enriched in biological processes and involved in HIF-1 signaling pathway, serotonergic synapse and ferroptosis. A total of 29 significant gene set pathways of LC data were performed by GSEA analysis. The GSVA analysis obtained 53 significant differential gene set pathways. The top 20 genes were identified by PPI. ROC curves revealed four of the top20 genes had a good performance, which were CA9 (AUC = 0.930), MAPK3 (AUC = 0.915), MUC1 (AUC = 0.945), and NOX4 (AUC = 0.933). Subsequent analysis found that CDKN2A has the highest mutation frequency in the top 20 gene, and IFNG had a significant correlation with age, tumor stage, degree of tumor differentiation and lymphatic clearance surgery.

CONCLUSION

Our study identified key genes closely related to ferroptosis in LC, which still need more studies to explore the mechanisms involved and may become effective clinical diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.

Potential prognostic markers and significant lncRNA-mRNA co-expression pairs in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

lncRNA-mRNA co-expression pairs and prognostic markers related to the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) were investigated. The lncRNA and mRNA expression data of LSCC in GSE84957 and RNA-seq data of 112 LSCC samples from TCGA database were used. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs) between LSCC and para-cancer tissues were identified. Co-expression analysis of DEGs and DE-lncRNA was conducted. Protein-protein interaction network for co-expressed DEGs of top 25 DE-lncRNA was constructed, followed by survival analysis for key nodes in co-expression network. Finally, expressions of several DE-lncRNAs and DEGs were verified using qRT-PCR. The lncRNA-mRNA network showed that ANKRD20A5P, C21orf15, CYP4F35P, LOC_I2_011146, XLOC_006053, XLOC_I2_003881, and LOC100506027 were highlighted in network. Some DEGs, including FUT7, PADI1, PPL, ARHGAP40, MUC21, and CEACAM1, were co-expressed with above lncRNAs. Survival analysis showed that PLOD1, GLT25D1, and KIF22 were significantly associated with prognosis. qRT-PCR results showed that the expressions of MUC21, CEACAM1, FUT7, PADI1, PPL, ARHGAP40, ANKRD20A5P, C21orf15, CYP4F35P, XLOC_I2_003881, LOC_I2_011146, and XLOC_006053 were downregulated, whereas the expression of LOC100506027 was upregulated in LSCC tissues. PLOD1, GLT25D1, and KIF22 may be potential prognostic markers in the development of LSCC. C21orf15-MUC21/CEACAM1/FUT7/PADI1/PPL/ARHGAP40 are potential lncRNA-mRNA pairs that play significant roles in the development of LSCC.

MUC1 confers radioresistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells

Mucin 1 (MUC1), a transmembrane glycoprotein, has shown to be as the possible prognostic marker to predict the risk of aggressive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In the present study, we investigated the effect of MUC1 in HNSCC cells and the response to X-ray irradiation (IR). Here, we examined the impact of MUC1 overexpression or downexpression on clonogenic survival and apoptosis in response to X-ray irradiation (IR). Radioresistance and radiosensitivity were also observed in HNSCC cells that are MUC1 overexpression and MUC1 downexpression. This enhanced resistance to IR in MUC1-overexpressing cells is primarily due to increased the number of radiation-induced γH2AX/53BP1-positive foci and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair kinetics. MUC1 overexpression repaired more than 90% of DSBs after 2 Gy radiation by 24 h compared to the empty vector overexpressing cells with less than 50% of DSB repair. However, MUC1 downexpression repaired less than 20% of DSBs compared to the empty vector-overexpresing cells. MUC1 overexpression inhibited proapoptotic protein expression, such as caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, and induced antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2, followed by resistance to IR-induced apoptosis. Our results showed that targeting MUC1 may be as a promising strategy to counteract radiation resistance of HNSCC cells.

MicroRNA-153 suppresses human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma migration and invasion by targeting the SNAI1 gene

Human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a malignant cancer type. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker Snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAI1) is associated with the occurrence, development, invasion and metastasis of numerous tumor types, such as lung, liver and ovarian cancer. Previous studies have indicated that microRNA-153 (miR-153) may serve as a novel tumor suppressor, which is involved in tumor metastasis; however, the role and clinical significance of miR-153 in LSCC are not fully understood. The aim of the present study was to determine the role of miR-153 in the growth and aggressiveness of LSCC cells. Bioinformatics prediction method, western blot analysis, Matrigel invasion assay and immunofluorescence were used to analyze whether SNAI1 can be regulated and controlled by miR-153 in LSCC cells. An inverse association between miR-153 and SNAI1 was observed in LSCC tissues. It was demonstrated that SNAI1 is a direct target of miR-153 in LSCC. In addition, the results indicated that miR-153 knockdown inhibited PCI-13 cell migration and invasion by targeting SNAI1, which may be a potential marker that can reflect the degree of malignancy in patients with LSCC. Furthermore, miR-153 knockdown decreased Twist family BHLH transcription factor 1 and metastasis-associated 1 family member 3 expression in LSCC cells. In conclusion, these data indicated that miR-153 regulates LSCC migration via the targeting of SNAI1 gene, which may be a potential predictor for patients with LSCC.

Exploiting poly(I:C) to induce cancer cell apoptosis

TLR3 belong to the Toll-like receptors family, it is mainly expressed on immune cells where it senses pathogen-associated molecular patterns and initiates innate immune response. TLR3 agonist poly(I:C) was developed to mimic pathogens infection and boost immune system activation to promote anti-cancer therapy. Accordingly, TLR agonists were included in the National Cancer Institute list of immunotherapeutic agents with the highest potential to cure cancer. Besides well known effects on immune cells, poly(I:C) was also shown, in experimental models, to directly induce apoptosis in cancer cells expressing TLR3.

This review presents the current knowledge on the mechanism of poly(I:C)-induced apoptosis in cancer cells. Experimental evidences on positive or negative regulators of TLR3-mediated apoptosis induced by poly(I:C) are reported and strategies are proposed to successfully promote this event in cancer cells.

Cancer cells apoptosis is an additional arm offered by poly(I:C), besides activation of immune system, for the treatment of various type of cancer. A further dissection of TLR3 signaling would contribute to greater resolution of the critical steps that impede full exploitation of the poly(I:C)-induced apoptosis. Experimental evidences about negative regulator of poly(I:C)-induced apoptotic program should be considered in combinations with TLR3 agonists in clinical trials.

MUC1 (CD227): a multi-tasked molecule

Mucin 1 (MUC1 [CD227]) is a high-molecular weight (>400 kDa), type I membrane-tethered glycoprotein that is expressed on epithelial cells and extends far above the glycocalyx. MUC1 is overexpressed and aberrantly glycosylated in adenocarcinomas and in hematological malignancies. As a result, MUC1 has been a target for tumor immunotherapeutic studies in mice and in humans. MUC1 has been shown to have anti-adhesive and immunosuppressive properties, protects against infections, and is involved in the oncogenic process as well as in cell signaling. In addition, MUC1 plays a key role in the reproductive tract, in the immune system (affecting dendritic cells, monocytes, T cells, and B cells), and in chronic inflammatory diseases. Evidence for all of these roles for MUC1 is discussed herein and demonstrates that MUC1 is truly a multitasked molecule.

Expression and clinical significance of the programmed cell death 5 gene and protein in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective

To determine the expression of the gene programmed cell death 5 ( PDCD5) and its protein PDCD5 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and to analyse possible correlations with clinicopathological parameters.

Methods

PDCD5 mRNA expression was assessed using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and expression of PDCD5 protein was studied using Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and morphologically normal para-carcinoma tissue.

Results

A total of 41 laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and 29 normal para-carcinoma tissue specimens were examined. Expression of both PDCD5 mRNA and PDCD5 protein was significantly reduced in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma compared with normal tissue. Expression was correlated with clinical stage and histological grade, but was not associated with age, sex, location of primary tumour or the presence of lymph node metastases.

Conclusion

The expression of PDCD5 and its protein were shown to be reduced in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. The functional importance of PDCD5 as a regulating agent in cell apoptosis suggests that it may play a key role in tumour pathogenesis and development.

Expression of the carcinoma markers: the sialylated Lewis A and X carbohydrate antigens in normal laryngeal surface epithelium and submucosal glands from old humans

Aberrant surface expression of the carbohydrate ABH and Lewis antigens are often used as markers for the diagnosis of cancer, but while the distribution of these histo-blood group antigens is relatively well-described in tissues and organs from young and middle-aged humans little is known of their expression in old age. The objective for this study was to estimate if the Lewis A and X antigens together with their sialylated modifications, are expressed in sections of normal laryngeal tissue from old humans. Antibodies directed against the tumor markers Sialyl Lewis A and Sialyl Lewis X showed positive reaction in the surface epithelia from normal larynx autopsies obtained from people aged 77-90 years. The sialylated and non-sialylated Lewis A antigens were more frequently expressed in the pseudostratified epithelium than in squamous surface epithelium. Both the sialylated and the non-sialylated carbohydrates were stained in the submucosal glands in all the autopsies. In conclusion, visualization of Lewis tumor markers in the larynx should be interpreted with great care, as they may be present in normal laryngeal epithelial cells from old humans.

Preliminary proteomic analysis of human serum from patients with laryngeal carcinoma

To better evaluate the serum protein alterations in patients with laryngeal carcinoma during surgical treatment process, a comparative proteomic analysis of human serum from patients with laryngeal carcinoma between pre- and post-operation group was performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, in combination with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and database searching. Statistical analysis indicated that 16 gel spots corresponding to 12 proteins altered their expression significantly between the two groups of patients with laryngeal carcinoma. Of these 12 proteins, 6 proteins were up-regulated in the pre-operation group. The subsequent Western blot confirmed the results of proteome analysis. Measurement of MDA and SOD levels in serum combining with bioinformatics analysis indicated the potential roles of the oxidant stress and immune response as target in monitoring and treating laryngeal carcinoma. The study provides new insight into the laryngeal carcinoma development and treatment, and the identified proteins are warranted to be further studied.