MicroRNA-144-3p Inhibits Tumorigenesis of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma by downregulating ERO1L

Biological mechanisms and clinical significance of endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase 1 alpha (ERO1α) in human cancer

A firm link between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and tumors has been wildly reported. Endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase 1 alpha (ERO1α), an ER-resident thiol oxidoreductase, is confirmed to be highly upregulated in various cancer types and associated with a significantly worse prognosis. Of importance, under ER stress, the functional interplay of ERO1α/PDI axis plays a pivotal role to orchestrate proper protein folding and other key processes. Multiple lines of evidence propose ERO1α as an attractive potential target for cancer treatment. However, the unavailability of specific inhibitor for ERO1α, its molecular inter-relatedness with closely related paralog ERO1β and the tightly regulated processes with other members of flavoenzyme family of enzymes, raises several concerns about its clinical translation. Herein, we have provided a detailed description of ERO1α in human cancers and its vulnerability towards the aforementioned concerns. Besides, we have discussed a few key considerations that may improve our understanding about ERO1α in tumors.

Transcriptomics analysis reveals distinct mechanism of breast cancer stem cells regulation in mammospheres from MCF-7 and T47D cells

Luminal A breast cancer, constituting 70 % of breast cancer cases, presents a challenge due to the development of resistance and recurrence caused by breast cancer stem cells (BCSC). Luminal breast tumors are characterized by TP53 expression, a tumor suppressor gene involved in maintaining stem cell attributes in cancer. Although a previous study successfully developed mammospheres (MS) from MCF-7 (with wild-type TP53) and T47D (with mutant TP53) luminal breast cancer cells for BCSC enrichment, their transcriptomic profiles remain unclear. We aimed to elucidate the transcriptomic disparities between MS of MCF-7 and T47D cells using bioinformatics analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including the KEGG pathway, Gene Ontology (GO), drug-gene association, disease-gene association, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), DNA methylation analysis, correlation analysis of DEGs with immune cell infiltration, and association analysis of genes and small-molecule compounds via the Connectivity Map (CMap). Upregulated DEGs were enriched in metabolism-related KEGG pathways, whereas downregulated DEGs were enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway. Drug-gene association analysis revealed that both upregulated and downregulated DEGs were associated with fostamatinib. The KEGG pathway GSEA results indicated that the DEGs were enriched for oxidative phosphorylation, whereas the downregulated DEGs were negatively enriched for the p53 signaling pathway. Examination of DNA methylation revealed a noticeable disparity in the expression patterns of the PKM2, ERO1L, SLC6A6, EPAS1, APLP2, RPL10L, and NEDD4 genes when comparing cohorts with low- and high-risk breast cancer. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between SLC6A6 expression and macrophage presence, as well as MSN, and AKR1B1 expression and neutrophil and dentritic cell infiltration. CMap analysis unveiled SA-83851 as a potential candidate to counteract the effects of DEGs, specifically in cells harbouring mutant TP53. Further research, including in vitro and in vivo validations, is warranted to develop drugs targeting BCSCs.

Unraveling the role of miRNAs in the diagnosis, progression, and drug resistance of oral cancer

Oral cancer (OC) is a widely observed neoplasm on a global scale. Over time, there has been an increase in both its fatality and incidence rates. Oral cancer metastasis is a complex process that involves a number of cellular mechanisms, including invasion, migration, proliferation, and escaping from malignant tissue through either lymphatic or vascular channels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a crucial class of short non-coding RNAs recognized as significant modulators of diverse cellular processes and exert a pivotal influence on the carcinogenesis pathway, functioning either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes. It has been shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) have a role in metastasis at several stages, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and colonization. This regulation is achieved by targeting key genes involved in these pathways by miRNAs. This paper aims to give a contemporary analysis of OC, focusing on its molecular genetics. The current literature and emerging advancements in miRNA dysregulation in OC are thoroughly examined. This project would advance OC diagnosis, prognosis, therapy, and therapeutic implications.

MiRNA-related metastasis in oral cancer: moving and shaking

Across the world, oral cancer is a prevalent tumor. Over the years, both its mortality and incidence have grown. Oral cancer metastasis is a complex process involving cell invasion, migration, proliferation, and egress from cancer tissue either by lymphatic vessels or blood vessels. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are essential short non-coding RNAs, which can act either as tumor suppressors or as oncogenes to control cancer development. Cancer metastasis is a multi-step process, in which miRNAs can inhibit or stimulate metastasis at all stages, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, migration, invasion, and colonization, by targeting critical genes in these pathways. On the other hand, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), two different types of non-coding RNAs, can regulate cancer metastasis by affecting gene expression through cross-talk with miRNAs. We reviewed the scientific literature (Google Scholar, Scopus, and PubMed) for the period 2000-2023 to find reports concerning miRNAs and lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA networks, which control the spread of oral cancer cells by affecting invasion, migration, and metastasis. According to these reports, miRNAs are involved in the regulation of metastasis pathways either by directly or indirectly targeting genes associated with metastasis. Moreover, circRNAs and lncRNAs can induce or suppress oral cancer metastasis by acting as competing endogenous RNAs to inhibit the effect of miRNA suppression on specific mRNAs. Overall, non-coding RNAs (especially miRNAs) could help to create innovative therapeutic methods for the control of oral cancer metastases.

CircEIF4G2 promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer LoVo cells by targeting miR-144-3p

BACKGROUND

Many circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abnormally expressed in colorectal cancer, and they can regulate the expression of their target genes by acting as a miRNA sponge molecule, thereby regulating the biological behavior of colorectal cancer cells; however, the role of circEIF4G2/miR-144-3p in the occurrence and development of colorectal cancer and the underlying mechanism are not yet clear.

AIM

To investigate the effect of circEIF4G2/miR-144-3p on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colorectal cancer LoVo cells.

METHODS

Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of circEIF4G2 and miR-144-3p in colorectal cancer tissues. LoVo cells were divided into four groups and transfected with si-NC, si-circEIF4G2, si-circEIF4G2 + anti-miR-NC, and si-circEIF4G2 + anti-miR-144-3p, respectively. Dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to analyze the targeting relationship between circEIF4G2 and miR-144-3p. CCK-8 assay and clone formation assay were utilized to monitor the proliferation inhibition rate and clone formation in the four groups, respectively. Transwell assay was used to detect cell migration and invasion, and Western blot analysis was performed to determine E-cadherin and N-cadherin protein expression.

RESULTS

The expression of circEIF4G2 in 51 cases of colorectal cancer tissues increased by ~2.38 times compared with tumor adjacent tissues, and the expression of miR-144-3p decreased by about 0.54 times compared with tumor adjacent tissues (P < 0.05 for both). CircEIF4G2 targets and regulates the expression of miR-144-3p. The proliferation inhibition rate and E-cadherin protein expression in the si-circEIF4G2 group increased compared with those in the si-NC group, while the number of clones, migration, invasion, and the expression level of N-cadherin protein were lower than those of the si-NC group (P < 0.05 for all). The proliferation inhibition rate and E-cadherin protein expression in the si-circEIF4G2 + anti-miR-144-3p group were lower than those of the si-circEIF4G2 + anti-miR-NC group, while the number of clones, migration, invasion, and the expression of N-cadherin protein were higher than those of the si-circEIF4G2+anti-miR-NC group (P < 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSION

Knockdown of circEIF4G2 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting miR-144-3p in colorectal cancer LoVo cells.

The clinical implications of circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers in screening oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Recent studies have highlighted the biomarker role of circulating miRNAs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), indicating their potential application as early diagnostic markers for OSCC. However, the diagnostic results have proven inconclusive. This study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic value of circulating miRNAs for OSCC diagnosis.

Methods

Eligible published studies were identified by a literature search carried out in several databases by using combinations of keywords associated with OSCC, circulating miRNAs, and diagnosis. The bivariate meta-analysis model was adopted to summarize the pooled parameters. Afterwards, we thoroughly explored the sources of heterogeneity after evaluating the risk of bias.

Results

A total of 60 studies focusing on 41 circulating miRNAs were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were 0.75 (95%CI: 0.69-0.80), 0.76 (0.70-0.81), 0.82 (0.79-0.85), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that miRNA combinations were more accurate than single miRNAs. Additionally, plasma may be a better matrix for miRNAs assays in OSCC diagnosis as the plasma-based miRNA assay had a higher level of diagnostic accuracy than serum-based miRNA assay. Subgroup analyses also suggested that using circulating miRNAs for OSCC diagnosis is more effective in Caucasians than in Asian ethnic groups. Finally, circulating miRNA assays based on large sample sizes have superior diagnostic accuracy than small sample sizes.

Conclusion

Circulating miRNAs might be applied as effective surrogate biomarkers for early diagnosis of OSCC. Nevertheless, future larger-scale prospective studies should be performed to enhance the diagnostic efficiency and investigate the miRNA combinations with more pronounced accuracy.

Global microRNA expression profile in laryngeal carcinoma unveils new prognostic biomarkers and novel insights into field cancerization

Laryngeal carcinoma is still a worldwide burden that has shown no significant improvement during the last few decades regarding definitive treatment strategies. The lack of suitable biomarkers for personalized treatment protocols and delineating field cancerization prevents further progress in clinical outcomes. In the light of this perspective, MicroRNAs could be promising biomarkers both in terms of diagnostic and prognostic value. The aim of this prospective study is to find strong prognostic microRNA biomarkers for advanced laryngeal carcinoma and molecular signatures of field cancerization. Sixty patients were enrolled and four samples were collected from each patient: tumor surface and depth, peritumor normal mucosa, and control distant laryngeal mucosa. Initially, a global microRNA profile was conducted in twelve patients from the whole cohort and subsequently, we validated a selected group of 12 microRNAs with RT-qPCR. The follow-up period was 24 months (SD ± 13 months). Microarray expression profile revealed 59 dysregulated microRNAs. The validated expression levels of miR-93-5p (χ²(2) = 4.68, log-rank p = 0.03), miR-144-3p (χ²(2) = 4.53, log-rank p = 0.03) and miR-210-3p (χ²(2) = 4.53, log-rank p = 0.03) in tumor samples exhibited strong association with recurrence-free survival as higher expression levels of these genes predict worse outcome. Tumor suppressor genes miR-144-3p (mean rank 1.58 vs 2.14 vs 2.29, p = 0.000) and miR-145-5p (mean rank 1.57 vs 2.15 vs 2.28, p = 0.000) were significantly dysregulated in peritumor mucosa with a pattern of expression consistent with paired tumor samples thus revealing a signature of field cancerization in laryngeal carcinoma. Additionally, miR-1260b, miR-21-3p, miR-31-3p and miR-31-5p were strongly associated with tumor grade. Our study reports the first global microRNA profile specifically in advanced laryngeal carcinoma that includes survival analysis and investigates the molecular signature of field cancerization. We report two strong biomarkers of field cancerization and three predictors for recurrence in advance stage laryngeal cancer.

The multifaceted role of STAT3 pathway and its implication as a potential therapeutic target in oral cancer

Oral cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, and it has become a matter of serious concern due to the alarming rise in its incidence rate worldwide. Despite recent advancements in oral cancer treatment strategies, there are no significant improvements in patient's survival rate. Among the numerous cell signaling pathways involved in oral cancer development and progression, STAT3 is known to play a multifaceted oncogenic role in shaping the tumor pathophysiology. STAT3 hyperactivation in oral cancer contributes to survival, proliferation, invasion, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, metastasis, immunosuppression, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis. A plethora of pre-clinical and clinical studies have documented the role of STAT3 in the initiation and development of oral cancer and showed that STAT3 inhibition holds significant potential in the prevention and treatment of this cancer. However, to date, targeting STAT3 activation mainly involves inhibiting the upstream signaling molecules such as JAK and IL-6 receptors. The major challenge in targeting STAT3 lies in the complexity of its phosphorylation- and dimerization-independent functions, which are not affected by disrupting the upstream regulators. The present review delineates the significance of the STAT3 pathway in regulating various hallmarks of oral cancer. In addition, it highlights the STAT3 inhibitors identified to date through various preclinical and clinical studies that can be employed for the therapeutic intervention in oral cancer treatment.

Downregulation of circLPAR3 inhibits tumor progression and glycolysis by liberating miR‐144‐3p and upregulating LPCAT1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background

Increasing evidence demonstrated the important roles of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in human cancer progression, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study intentions were to explore the role and molecular mechanism of hsa_circ_0004390 (circLPAR3) in OSCC progression.

Methods

Expression of circLPAR3 in collected samples and cultured cell lines was detected with real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). Loss‐of‐function experiments were performed to determine the effect of circLPAR3 silencing on OSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis, angiopoiesis, and glycolysis. The sponge function of circLPAR3 was predicted by bioinformatics analysis and validated by the dual‐luciferase reporter and RNA pull‐down assays. In vivo experiments were conducted to validate the function of circLPAR3.

Results

A marked increase in circLPAR3 expression was observed in OSCC samples and cell lines. Furthermore, circLPAR3 could distinguish OSCC samples from paired non‐tumor samples, and patients with high circLPAR3 expression had a poor prognosis. Furthermore, circLPAR3 inhibition decreased OSCC growth in xenograft mouse models. Moreover, circLPAR3 silencing repressed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiopoiesis, glycolysis, and induced cell apoptosis in OSCC cells in vitro. Mechanically, circLPAR3 sponged miR‐144‐3p to prohibit the inhibiting effect of miR‐144‐3p on LPCAT1, thus promoting OSCC progression.

Conclusion

CircLPAR3 exerted a tumor‐promoting effect on OSCC growth through elevating LPCAT1 expression via functioning as a miR‐144‐3p sponge. This study supports the possible role of circLPAR3 in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of OSCC.

Upregulation of miR-144-3p expression attenuates glioma cell viability and invasion by targeting BCL6

Glioma remains to be an aggressive type of cancer with poor prognosis irrespective of the type of standard treatment applied. Therefore, identification of accurate early diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies for glioma is imperative for the treatment of this disease. The expression of a number of miRNAs in glioma have been reported to be associated with the regulation of tumorigenic progression, cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis and drug resistance. The aim of the present study was to assess the function of the microRNA (miR/miRNA)-144-3p/BCL6 axis in glioma. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to measure miR-144-3p and BCL6 expression. Western blotting was used for measuring BCL6 expression. Luciferase reporter assay was used to assess the association between miR-144-3p and BCL6 and a tumor xenograft model was established for assess tumor growth. The data demonstrated that miR-144-3p was decreased whereas BCL6 expression was increased in glioma tissues compared with those in healthy human brain tissues, where miR-144-3p suppressed BCL6 expression by targeting the 3'-UTR sequence of BCL6. miR-144-3p overexpression alleviated proliferation and invasion in U251 cells whereas transfection with the BCL6-overexpressing plasmid rescued the suppressive effects of miR-144-3p upregulation on the proliferation and invasion of U251 cells. In addition, miR-144-3p overexpression and BCL6 downregulation inhibited tumor progression in a mouse tumor xenograft model. The present findings suggest that miR-144-3p and BCL6 may serve to be indicator of proliferation and invasion for patients with glioma. Furthermore, BCL6 may serve an important role in the miR-144-3p-mediated regulation of proliferation and invasion of glioma cells, where the miR-144-3p/BCL6 axis can be used to target patients with glioma therapeutically.

LINC00662 Promotes Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Growth and Metastasis through miR-144-3p/EZH2 Axis

PURPOSE

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is identified as an important regulator involved in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the functional role and underlying mechanism of LINC00662 in OSCC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The expression levels of LINC00662, miR-144-3p, and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) mRNA were quantified with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Western blot analysis was used to assay the expression levels of E-cadherin, Vimentin, and EZH2. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were monitored by cell counting kit-8 and Transwell assays. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were employed to verify the regulatory relationship between LINC00662 and miR-144-3p.

RESULTS

The expression of LINC00662, positively associated with the increased TNM stage and lymph node metastasis of the patients, was up-regulated in OSCC tissues and cells. The overexpression of LINC00662 facilitated the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. MiR-144-3p could bind to LINC00662, and the promoting effect of LINC00662 overexpression was counteracted by miR-144-3p mimic. Moreover, EZH2 expression was negatively regulated by miR-144-3p and positively regulated by LINC00662. The silencing of EZH2 attenuated the promoting effects of overexpression of LINC00662 on cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

CONCLUSION

LINC00662, as an oncogenic lncRNA of OSCC, accelerates OSCC progression by repressing miR-144-3p expression and increasing EZH2 expression.

Sevoflurane inhibits neuroblastoma cell proliferation and invasion and induces apoptosis by miR-144-3p/YAP1 axis

BACKGROUND

Sevoflurane (SEV) is a typical volatile anaesthetic and has an antitumour activity in various cancer cells. Here, we were curious whether SEV has tumour-suppressive effects in neuroblastoma (NB).

METHODS

NB cell lines (K-N-SH and SK-N-AS) were treated with SEV (1%, 2% and 4%). Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) and Transwell assays were conducted to examine cell proliferation and invasion, respectively. The apoptosis was verified by flow cytometry, and the yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), Bax, Bcl2 and cleaved caspase3 levels were detected by western blotting. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to monitor the miR-144-3p level in SEV-treated NB cells. The targeted relationship between miR-144-3p and YAP1 was predicted by bioinformatics and testified by the dual-luciferase reporter assay.

RESULTS

SEV mitigated NB cell proliferation and invasion and strengthened apoptosis dose-dependently. SEV upregulated miR-144-3p. Moreover, the miR-144-3p inhibitor transfection significantly reduced the tumour-suppressive effect of SEV on NB cells. Furthermore, the dual-luciferase reporter assay confirmed that miR-144-3p targeted YAP1 and overexpressing YAP1 partially weakened the inhibitive effects of miR-144-3p on NB cells.

CONCLUSION

SEV abated NB cell proliferation and invasion and accelerated apoptosis through the miR-144-3p/YAP1 axis.

Inhibition of miR-144/199 promote myeloma pathogenesis via upregulation of versican and FAK/STAT3 signaling

The continuous rise in relapse rate and mortality for multiple myeloma (MM) demands an effective treatment option. The microRNAs are emerging nowadays for their promising therapeutic potential. Earlier, we reported involvement of Versican (VCAN) in myeloma pathogenesis which could be inhibited by miR-144 and miR-199 in stroma. However, there is dearth of literature showcasing the direct effect of these miRs in association with VCAN in MM. Expression of miR-144 and miR-199 was determined in myeloma cell lines (RPMI8226 & U266). These miRs were inhibited by small oligos to elucidate changes in expression of VCAN along with variation in parameters such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion in vitro. Moreover, effect on certain downstream signaling cascades was also evaluated. Lastly, interaction of miRs with VCAN was assessed by reporter luciferase assay. microRNAs expression were found significantly elevated in myeloma cells in comparison to stromal levels reported previously. The antagomirs-mediated inhibition of miR-144 and miR-199 significantly induced VCAN expression in myeloma cells along with alteration in myeloma-associated parameters in favor of myeloma pathogenesis with downstream activation of FAK/STAT3 signaling. Interestingly, miR-144 found to have direct binding with VCAN 3' UTR while miR-199 possess different mechanism. The inhibition of miR-144 and miR-199 contributed in myeloma progression via upregulation of VCAN in vitro affirming the translational significance of VCAN and associated microRNAs in MM. These miRs, hence might be employed for targeting VCAN and might emerge as an effective therapy for the better outcome of MM in clinical settings in future.

MicroRNA-144: A novel biological marker and potential therapeutic target in human solid cancers

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. It has been reported that microRNA-144 (miR-144) is highly conserved and can combine complementarily with the 3'-UTRs of target gene mRNAs to inhibit mRNA translation or promote targeted mRNA degradation. MiR-144 is abnormally expressed and has been identified as a tumor suppressor in many types of solid tumors. Increasing evidence supports a crucial role for miR-144 in modulating physiopathologic processes, such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration and angiogenesis in different tumor cells. Apart from these functions, miR-144 can also affect drug sensitivity, cancer treatment and patient prognosis. In this review, we summarize the biological functions of miR-144, its direct targets and the important signal pathways through which it acts in relation to various tumors. We also discuss the role of miR-144 in tumor biology and its clinical significance in detail and offer novel insights into molecular targeting therapy for human cancers.

ERO1L promotes NSCLC development by modulating cell cycle-related molecules

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Previous studies revealed that endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductase 1 alpha (ERO1L) played critical roles in the malignant behaviors of several cancer types, but its role in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remained unclear. In this study, we identified 26 upregulated and 102 downregulated genes in NSCLC using bioinformatics analyses, and these genes were enriched in the biological processes of the cell cycle. ERO1L was remarkably upregulated in NSCLC and overexpression of ERO1L was associated with poor prognosis of NSCLC. ERO1L deficiency markedly suppressed NSCLC cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion. ERO1L depletion caused a dramatically decreased expression of cell cycle‐related factors in NSCLC cells. Collectively, our data validated that ERO1L could function as a tumor promoter in NSCLC, indicating the potential of targeting ERO1L for the treatment of NSCLC.

miR‑144‑3p inhibits tumor cell growth and invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma through the downregulation of the oncogenic gene, EZH2

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) play important roles in the development and progression of human malignancies, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC); however, the unique roles of miRNAs are not yet fully understood in OSCC. The present study aimed to identify novel miRNAs associated with OSCC and to elucidate their functions. Based on a micro-array analysis, miR-144-3p was found to be one of the most significantly downregulated miRNAs in OSCC tissues. Its low expression was closely associated with tumor size, differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Functionally, miR-144-3p overexpression suppressed proliferation, promoted apoptosis, and suppressed the invasion and migration of OSCC cells. In addition, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a well-known oncogene, was proven to be a direct target of miR-144-3p, and its protein expression was negatively regulated by miR-144-3p. Moreover, EZH2 expression was increased, and inversely correlated with the miR-144-3p level in OSCC tissues. Notably, EZH2 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and suppressed the invasion and migration of OSCC cells, whereas EZH2 overexpression partially reversed the anticancer effects mediated by miR-144-3p overexpression. On the whole, the findings of the present study suggest that miR-144-3p functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting the EZH2 oncogene, and may thus be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for OSCC.