Causes of death of patients with laryngeal cancer

RUNX1-BMP2 promotes vasculogenic mimicry in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma via activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway

BACKGROUND

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the head and neck. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is crucial for tumor growth and metastasis and refers to the formation of fluid channels by invasive tumor cells rather than endothelial cells. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying VM during the malignant progression of LSCC remain largely unknown.

METHODS

Gene expression and clinical data for LSCC were obtained from the TCGA and Gene GEO (GSE27020) databases. A risk prediction model associated with VM was established using LASSO and Cox regression analyses. Based on their risk scores, patients with LSCC were categorized into high- and low-risk groups. The disparities in immune infiltration, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and functional enrichment between these two groups were examined. The core genes in LSCC were identified using the machine learning (SVM-RFE) and WGCNA algorithms. Subsequently, the involvement of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) in VM and metastasis was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. To elucidate the downstream signaling pathways regulated by BMP2, western blotting was performed. Additionally, ChIP experiments were employed to identify the key transcription factors responsible for modulating the expression of BMP2.

RESULTS

We established a new precise prognostic model for LSCC related to VM based on three genes: BMP2, EPO, and AGPS. The ROC curves from both TCGA and GSE27020 validation cohorts demonstrated precision survival prediction capabilities, with the nomogram showing some net clinical benefit. Multiple algorithm analyses indicated BMP2 as a potential core gene. Further experiments suggested that BMP2 promotes VM and metastasis in LSCC. The malignant progression of LSCC is promoted by BMP2 via the activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, with the high expression of BMP2 in LSCC resulting from its transcriptional activation by runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1).

CONCLUSION

BMP2 predicts poor prognosis in LSCC, promotes LSCC VM and metastasis through the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, and is transcriptionally regulated by RUNX1. BMP2 may be a novel, precise, diagnostic, and therapeutic biomarker of LSCC.

Prognosis

Prognosis is defined as the likely outcome or course of a disease and is the result of a complex interplay between patient and tumor factors. Unfortunately, the prognosis of patients with laryngeal cancer has not changed significantly over the past several decades. However, as our understanding of these patient and tumor factors becomes more nuanced and the resulting treatment options become more precise, there is the potential to improve the prognosis for these patients.

Causes of death after laryngeal cancer diagnosis: A US population-based study

BACKGROUND

Several reports examined the survival of laryngeal cancer (LC) patients, most of these studies only focused on the prognosis of the disease, and just a small number of studies examined non-cancer-related causes of death. The objective of the current study is to investigate and quantify the most common causes of deaths following LC diagnosis.

METHODS

The data of 44,028 patient with LC in the United States diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program and analyzed. We stratified LC patients according to various demographic and clinical parameters and calculated standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for all causes of death.

RESULTS

Over the follow-up period, 25,407 (57.7%) deaths were reported. The highest fatalities (11,121; 43.8%) occurred within 1-5 years following LC diagnosis. Non-cancer causes of death is the leading cause of death (8945; 35.2%), followed by deaths due to laryngeal cancer (8,705; 34.3%), then other cancers deaths (7757; 30.5%). The most common non-cancer causes of death were heart diseases (N = 2953; SMR 4.42), followed by other non-cancer causes of death (N = 1512; SMR 3.93), chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (N = 1420; SMR 4.90), then cerebrovascular diseases (N = 547; SMR 4.28). Compared to the general population, LC patients had a statistically significant higher risk of death from all reported causes.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-cancer causes of death is the leading cause of death in LC patients, exceeding deaths attributed to LC itself. These findings provide important insight into how LC survivors should be counselled regarding future health risks.

Effect of treatment modality on the long-term survival of patients with early glottic squamous cancer: a retrospective cohort study based on the SEER database

Background

The optimal treatment strategy for patients with early glottic (T1-2N0M0) squamous cancer remains unclear.

Methods

A retrospective population-based analysis was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance treatment arms, and Cox regression analysis was used to determine prognostic factors for survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank tests, and competing risk analysis were used to compare survival outcomes between treatment modalities (surgery vs. radiotherapy).

Results

Among the 3,994 eligible patients in this study, surgery was associated with improved cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) compared with radiotherapy (log-rank test, P<0.05). This survival trend favoring surgery was consistent in the T1a, well/moderately differentiated grade, male, and all age subgroups. However, after the baseline characteristics were balanced with PSM, the survival outcomes (CSS and OS) did not differ significantly between the surgery and radiotherapy groups. Interestingly, surgery was associated with a 39% reduced risk of cancer-related death compared with radiotherapy in patients aged ≥70 years (hazard ratio 0.61; 95% CI: 0.43-0.87; P=0.006). However, this survival trend favoring surgery was not observed in younger patients (age <70 years), T stage subgroups, male or female subgroups, or in any of the pathological grade subgroups.

Conclusions

In patients with early glottic squamous cell carcinoma undergoing surgery or radiotherapy, there is no sufficient evidence favoring one method over another in terms of survival. However, surgery is recommended in patients aged ≥70 years because, in this group, it was associated with improved survival outcomes compared with radiotherapy.

Comparison of patients with malignant or benign laryngeal lesions and healthy indivduals in terms of haematological inflammatory parameters

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to compare neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) values, which are inflammatory parameters, in precancerous and cancerous lesions and to determine whether there is a parameter that can be used in the early diagnosis of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, 174 patients who were benign as a result of pathology, 122 patients who were malignant, 39 patients who were premalignant (335 patients in total) and 117 normal individuals were included. Data groups were divided into 4 groups as benign laryngeal lesion(BLL), precancerous laryngeal lesion (PLL), malignant laryngeal Lesion (MLL) and control group (CG). In addition, the PLL group was subdivided into mild dysplasia (MiD), Moderate Dysplasia (MoD) and severe dysplasia-carcinoma in situ (SeD/CIS). NLR, PLR and other parameters were calculated.

RESULTS

NLR and PLR values were significantly different between the groups. (P = .000, P = .002) The mean NLR was higher in the MLL and PLL groups, and was lower in the BLL and control groups. The mean PLR was also higher in the MLL and PLL groups. When the groups were compared in pairs, there was a significant difference between BLL and MLL (P = .001) and MLL and CG (P = .006). The PLL group was subdivided into MiD, MoD and SeD/CIS. There was a significant difference in NLR when CG and other subgroups were compared (P = .027). Significant differences were found between CG and SeD when the groups were compared in pairs (P = .007). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of PLR and dysplasia (P = .516).

CONCLUSION

As revealed in this study, these rates were low in the CG and BLL groups and high in the MLL group, so they could be used as markers to differentiate malignant lesions.

Clinicopathological significance of SOX4 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Sex-determining region-Y-related high-mobility-group box 4 (SOX4) is associated with the metastasis and prognosis of many cancer types. However, studies on the role of SOX4 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are few, and hence the mechanism is unclear. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the plasticity and motility required for tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between SOX4 and EMT, and their relationship with clinicopathological factors and related prognosis.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the positive expression of SOX4 protein, EMT-related transcription factor protein, and related marker protein in 127 LSCC tissue samples. At the same time, data on various parameters of clinical pathology and postoperative survival were collected.

RESULTS

The positive expression rate of SOX4 and Slug in LSCC was related to pathological differentiation, Lymph node metastasis (LNM), and pathological TNM of a tumor. The expression rates of ZEB1, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and β-catenin in LSCC correlated with LNM and pTNM. The expression of SOX4, combined expression of SOX4 and ZEB1, and LNM were independent prognostic factors for the total survival time of patients with LSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, SOX4 was vital in the LSCC EMT process, which might be mediated by transcription factor ZEB1. SOX4 and ZEB1 might serve as potential biomarkers of metastasis and prognosis, as well as promising therapeutic targets of LSCC.

Human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma cell line release of endogenous anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, and their antiproliferative effect via exogenous supplementation: an in vitro study

The level of the major endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) are altered in several types of carcinomas, and are known to regulate tumor growth. Thusly, this study hypothesized that the HEp-2 human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) cell line releases AEA and 2-AG, and aimed to determine if their exogenous supplementation has an anti-proliferative effect in vitro. In this in vitro observational study a commercial human LSCC cell line (HEp-2) was used to test for endogenous AEA and 2-AG release via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The anti-proliferative effect of AEA and 2-AG supplementation was evaluated via WST-1 proliferation assay. It was observed that the HEp-2 LSCC cell line released AEA and 2-AG; the median quantity of AEA released was 15.69 ng mL^-1 (range: 14.55-15.95 ng mL^-1) and the median quantity of 2-AG released was 2.72 ng ^-1 (range: 2.67-2.74 ng mL^-1). Additionally, both AEA and 2-AG exhibited an anti-proliferative effect. The anti-proliferative effect of 2-AG was stronger than that of AEA. These findings suggest that AEA might function via a CB1 receptor-independent pathway and that 2-AG might function via a CB2-dependent pathway. The present findings show that the HEp-2 LSCC cell line releases the major endocannabinoids AEA and 2-AG, and that their supplementation inhibits tumor cell proliferation in vitro. Thus, cannabinoid ligands might represent novel drug candidates for laryngeal cancers, although functional in vivo studies are required in order to validate their potency.

Clinicopathological significance of SOX4 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Sex-determining region-Y-related high-mobility-group box 4 (SOX4) is associated with the metastasis and prognosis of many cancer types. However, studies on the role of SOX4 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) are few, and hence the mechanism is unclear. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the plasticity and motility required for tumor progression and metastasis. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between SOX4 and EMT, and their relationship with clinicopathological factors and related prognosis.

METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the positive expression of SOX4 protein, EMT-related transcription factor protein, and related marker protein in 127 LSCC tissue samples. At the same time, data on various parameters of clinical pathology and postoperative survival were collected.

RESULTS

The positive expression rate of SOX4 and Slug in LSCC was related to pathological differentiation, lymphatic invasion, and pathological tumor node metastasis (TNM) of a tumor. The expression rates of ZEB1, Twist, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and β-catenin in LSCC correlated with lymphatic invasion and pathological tumor node metastasis. The expression of SOX4, combined expression of SOX4 and ZEB1, and lymphatic invasion were independent prognostic factors for the total survival time of patients with LSCC.

CONCLUSIONS

In summary, SOX4 was vital in the LSCC EMT process, which might be mediated by transcription factor ZEB1. SOX4 and ZEB1 might serve as potential biomarkers of metastasis and prognosis, as well as promising therapeutic targets of LSCC.

Variable Mechanisms of Sudden and Unexpected Death in Cases of Occult Carcinoma of the Larynx

ABSTRACT

Two cases of clinically undiagnosed laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas in men aged 57 and 66 years, respectively, are reported that resulted in sudden death from upper airway occlusion. The cause of the terminal event differed between the 2 cases with acute airway narrowing being precipitated by tenacious mucopurulent secretions in case 1 and hemorrhage from surface ulceration with glottic occlusion by blood clot in case 2. At autopsy, the immediate cause of acute airway compromise in cases of space-occupying laryngeal lesions may, therefore, be due to the synergistic effects of different factors.

Analysis of the occurrence, location and treatment of laryngeal carcinoma recurrence

Introduction: The efficacy of the applied model of laryngeal cancer treatment is measured by recurrence. Recurrence significantly reduces survival and determines the type of subsequent treatment. Objective: To determine the incidence of laryngeal cancer recurrence, the location of recurrence, and the definitive treatment of laryngeal cancer recurrence concerning different types of surgical treatments applied. Results: In the period from 2002 to 2017, 844 subjects with primary operated laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed. Recurrence developed in 191/844 (22.6%) subjects. The mean recurrence time is 12.6 months. Supraglottic carcinoma is more likely to recur than glottic carcinoma 35.93% / 17.46%, p = 0.000. In N0 necks the recurrence rate is 14.42% and in N + necks it is 45.91, p = 0.000. In more advanced stages of the disease, the number of recurrence increases, p = 0.000. The most common area of recurrence is the neck with 45%, followed by local recurrence with 25.1%. Recurrence most often occurs in subjects with total laryngectomy and partial pharyngectomy, 50%. The most common development of regional recurrence is in the N3 category and extracapsular spread, 72.7%. The definitive treatment of recurrence usually involves radical neck dissection and total laryngectomy. Subjects with recurrence have a significantly lower three-year overall survival compared to those without recurrence, 47.6% / 92.3%, p = 0.000. Conclusion: Recurrence is expected in every fourth patient in the first 36 months following any type of surgical treatment of laryngeal carcinoma. The efficacy of treatment is directly related to recurrence. Recurrence is more common in more advanced stages of disease, extracapsular spread, and present metastases in the neck. Recurrence significantly reduces the overall survival of patients with laryngeal cancer.

The Occurrence of Local Recidive in Patients with Planocellular Carcinoma of the Larynx

Background/Aim. Early diagnosis and adequate surgical treatment are the key factors for the course of the laryngeal cancer of the head and neck and the outcome of the surgical treatment in these patients. The aim of the paper is to compare the characteristics of the surgically treated patients with the larynx carcinoma who developed recidivism to those who did not.

Material and methods. The study was done as a retrospective observational case-control study on a total of 90 patients with the laryngeal cancer who had been successfully operated on and whose cases had been followed over a period of at least five years after the surgery. After that, they were shorted into two groups based on the development of recidivism, and clinical characteristics of the patients with and without recidive disease were compared.

Results. 19 out of 90 patients developed recidivism. Maximum diameter of the tumour was significantly larger in patients without local recidivism. In patients without local recidivism, most common clinical stages were 3 and 4 (32.4%, 40.8%, respectively), whereas in patients with local recidivism stages 1 and 2 were the most common (47.7%, 26.3%, respectively). The average time to disease recurrence in the 19 patients who developed local recidive disease was 648.10 (384.67-911.54) days.

Conclusion. Pathohisto-logical analysis showed that samller the size of the tumour and lower T grade at the moment of surgery are precautionary factors for further monitoring of patients with laryngeal cancer.

Distinct Biomarker Profiles and Clinical Characteristics in T1-T2 Glottic and Supraglottic Carcinomas

Background

In early stage laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) radiotherapy with curative intent is a major treatment modality. TNM classification is used to define patients eligible for radiotherapy. Studies in early stage glottic LSCC identified several predictive biomarkers associated with local control. However, we recently reported that this predictive value could not be confirmed in supraglottic LSCC.

Objective

To examine whether clinical behavior and protein expression patterns of these biomarkers differ between glottic and supraglottic LSCC.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Tumor tissue sections of 196 glottic and 80 supraglottic T1‐T2 LSCC treated primarily with RT were assessed immunohistochemically for expression of pAKT, Ki‐67 and β‐Catenin. Expression data of HIF‐1α, CA‐IX, OPN, FADD, pFADD, Cyclin D1, Cortactin and EGFR in the same cohort of glottic and supraglottic LSCC, were retrieved from previously reported data. The relationship between glottic and supraglottic sublocalization and clinicopathological, follow‐up, and immunohistochemical staining characteristics were evaluated using logistic regression and Cox regression analyses.

Results

Glottic LSCC were correlated with male gender (P = .001), hoarseness as a primary symptom (P < .001), T1 tumor stage (P < .001), negative lymph node status (P < .001), and an older age at presentation (P = .004). Supraglottic LSCC patients developed more post‐treatment distant metastasis when adjusted for gender, age, and T‐status. While supraglottic LSCC was associated with higher expression of HIF‐1α (P = .001), Cortactin (P < .001), EGFR (P < .001), and Ki‐67 (P = .027), glottic LSCC demonstrated higher expression of CA‐IX (P = .005) and Cyclin D1 (P = .001).

Conclusion

Differences in clinicopathological and immunohistochemical staining characteristics suggest that T1‐T2 glottic and supraglottic LSCC should be considered as different entities.

Level of Evidence

N/A. Laryngoscope, 2020

MicroRNA-625 inhibits cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting SOX4 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a highly aggressive malignant cancer, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its development and progression remain largely elusive. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the expression profile and functional role of microRNA-625 (miR-625) in LSCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

LSCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were collected from 86 LSCC patients. The expression levels of miR-625 and SOX4 mRNA in tissues and cells were detected by RT-qPCR analysis. The expression levels of SOX4 and EMT-related proteins were detected by western blot analysis. In vitro cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected by MTT assay, colony formation assay, wound healing assay, and transwell invasion assay, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to verify the binding relationship between miR-625 and the 3'-UTR of SOX4.

RESULTS

The results demonstrated that miR-625 is significantly down-regulated in clinical LSCC tissues, and its low expression may be closely associated with unfavorable clinicopathological characteristics of LSCC patients. Overexpression of miR-625 significantly suppressed the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of LSCC cells. Furthermore, SOX4 was validated as a direct target of miR-625 in LSCC cells, and rescue experiments suggested that restoration of SOX4 blocked the tumor suppressive role of miR-625 in LSCC cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, these findings highlighted a critical role of miR-625 in the pathogenesis of LSCC, and restoration of miR-625 could be considered as a potential therapeutic strategy against this fatal disease.

Curcumin suppresses the progression of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma through the upregulation of miR-145 and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway

Background

Curcumin is a polyphenol extracted from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa with extensive biological and pharmacological effects. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanisms of curcumin in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods

Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the expressions of miR-145 in LSCC tissues and cells. The effects of miR-145 and curcumin on cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle, migration and invasion were explored by MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, Transwell migration and invasion assay, respectively. The effects of miR-145 combined with curcumin on the phosphoinositol 1,3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway were detected by Western blot analysis.

Results

miR-145 was significantly downregulated in LSCC tissues and cells. Curcumin administration upregulated miR-145 expression in LSCC cells in a dose-dependent manner. miR-145 overexpression and curcumin treatment both markedly suppressed cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in LSCC cells. Moreover, curcumin treatment reversed the enhanced effects on cell viability, migration and invasion and the inhibitory effects on apoptosis conferred by anti-miR-145 in LSCC cells. Curcumin treatment dramatically aggravated miR-145-induced inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and reversed anti-miR-145-mediated activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in LSCC cells.

Conclusion

Curcumin suppressed LSCC progression through the upregulation of miR-145 and inhibition of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

MicroRNA 744-3p promotes MMP-9-mediated metastasis by simultaneously suppressing PDCD4 and PTEN in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

MicroRNA controls cancer invasion by governing the expression of gene regulating migration and invasion. Here, we reported a novel regulatory pathway controlled by miR-744-3p, which enhanced expression of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). We profiled the differential micoRNA expression pattern in LSCC cell lines and normal epithelial cultures derived from the head and neck mucosa using microRNA microarray. MiR-7-1-3p, miR-196a/b and miR-744-3p were expressed differentially in the LSCC cell lines. Subsequent validation using real-time PCR revealed that high miR-744-3p level was positively correlated with regional lymph node metastasis of LSCC. Real-time cellular kinetic analysis showed that suppressing miR-744-3p could inhibit migration and invasion of LSCC cell lines and reduce the number of lung metastatic nodules in nude mice modules. In silico analysis revealed that miR-744-3p targeted 2 distinct signaling cascades which eventually upregulated MMP-9 expression in LSCC. First, miR-744-3p could suppress programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4), a direct suppressor of NF-κB (p65). PDCD4 could also prevent AKT activation and suppress MMP-9 expression. Further, suppressing miR-744-3p expression could restore phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression. PTEN could inhibit AKT activation and inhibit MMP-9 expression in LSCC cells. The results revealed that suppressing miR-744-3p was effective to inhibit LSCC metastasis by inactivating AKT/mTOR and NF-κB (p65) signaling cascade. Targeting miR-744-3p could be a valuable therapeutic intervention to suppress the aggressiveness of LSCC.

Inhibition of HAX-1 by miR-125a reverses cisplatin resistance in laryngeal cancer stem cells

Chemoresistance is a major obstacle in chemotherapy of laryngeal carcinoma. Recently, studies indicate that cancer stem cells are responsible for chemotherapy failure. In addition, microRNAs play important roles in tumor initiation, development and multidrug resistance. In the present study, we found that the expression of microRNA-125a was decreased in laryngeal carcinoma tissues and Hep-2 laryngeal cancer stem cells (Hep-2-CSCs). MicroRNA-125a gain-of-function significantly increased the sensitivity of Hep-2-CSCs to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo. Combination with microRNA-125a mimics can decrease the half maximal inhibitory concentration of Hep-2-CSCs to cisplatin. Mechanically, we found that microRNA-125a reverses cisplatin resistance in Hep-2-CSCs by targeting Hematopoietic cell-specific protein 1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1). Inhibition of HAX-1 by microRNA-125a significantly promotes the cisplatin-induced apoptosis in Hep-2-CSCs through mitochondrial pathway. In addition, multidrug resistance of Hep-2-CSCs to vincristine, etoposide and doxorubicin was greatly improved after the cells were transfected with microRNA-125a mimics. These dates strongly suggested the promotion of microRNA-125a/HAX-1 axis on chemotherapy of laryngeal carcinoma.

CKMT1 and NCOA1 expression as a predictor of clinical outcome in patients with advanced-stage head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

We studied the association between the expression of a subset of previously identified genes and clinical outcome in patients with head and neck cancer.

METHODS

We analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the expression of 89 genes in tumor biopsies from stage III to IVa/b chemotherapy treated patients (n = 46). Two additional cohorts analyzed by RNAseq (The Cancer Genome Atlas [TCGA] project; n = 371) or immunohistochemistry (IHC; n = 73) were used to validate results.

RESULTS

Thirty genes were associated with local-recurrence or progression-free survival. The best multi-gene decision-tree model to predict local recurrence included nuclear receptor coactivator 1 (NCOA1) and serum-amyloid A2 (SAA2) expression, whereas the best model to predict disease recurrence included creatine kinase mitochondrial 1 (CKMT1) and metal-regulatory transcription factor 1 (MTF1). Both models were associated with cancer-specific survival. Results were confirmed analyzing the RNAseq data included in the TCGA project. CKMT1 and NCOA1 were identified as independent risk factors for survival in an independent cohort analyzed by immunohistochemistry.

CONCLUSION

CKMT1 and NCOA1 expression has prognostic significance in advanced-stage head and neck carcinoma. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1392-E1403, 2016.

miR-205 promotes proliferation and invasion of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by suppressing CDK2AP1 expression

Background

The aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) has been found in various types of cancer. miR-205 was reported to be upregulated in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues, however, the mechanisms by which miR-205 functions as a regulator of LSCC are largely unknown.

Results

In this study, Real-time qPCR and Western blot assay showed that expression of miR-205 was upregulated and expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 2-associated protein 1 (CDK2AP1) was downregulated in LSCC tissues. The expression levels of miR-205 were negatively related to those of CDK2AP1 in LSCC tissues and cell lines. Moreover, we found that miR-205 was the upstream regulator of CDK2AP1 and could suppress the CDK2AP1 expression in LSCC cells. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazal-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assays and transwell invasion assay were performed to test the proliferation and invasion of LSCC cells. Gelatin zymography was used to detect the activity of MMP2 and MMP9. CDK2AP1, c-Myc and CyclinD1 expression in cells was assessed with Western blotting. We found that miR-205 was the upstream regulator of CDK2AP1 and could suppress the expression of CDK2AP1 in LSCC cells. In addition, miR-205 significantly induced cell proliferation and invasion by suppressing CDK2AP1 expression. Consistent with miR-205 inhibitors, overexpressed CDK2AP1 suppressed the activity of MMP2 and MMP9 and c-Myc and CyclinD1 expression in LSCC cells.

Conclusion

These findings help us to better elucidate the molecular mechanisms of LSCC progression and provide a new theoretical basis to further investigate miR-205 as a potential biomarker and a promising approach for LSCC treatment.