Circular hsa_circ_0020377 regulates KLF7 by targeting miR-194-5p to facilitate tumor cell malignant behaviors and glycolysis in oral squamous cell carcinoma progression.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignant tumor with high recurrence, metastasis rates, and poor prognosis. Numerous studies discover that circular RNA (circRNA) is closely associated with OSCC progression. Hsa_circ_0020377 has been aberrantly expressed in OSCC, but its role in tumor growth and metastasis remains largely unclear. Hsa_circ_0020377, microRNA-194-5p (miR-194-5p), and Krüppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) contents were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferative, cycle progression migration, and invasion were measured using 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, wound healing, and Transwell assays. The glycolysis level was detected via specific kits. Cyclin D1, E-cadherin, hexokinase 2 (HK2), and KLF7 protein levels were detected via western blot. Using predicting bioinformatics software, the binding between miR-194-5p and hsa_circ_0020377 or KLF7 was verified using a dual-luciferase reporter and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP). Beyond that, a xenograft tumor model was used to analyze the role of hsa_circ_0020377 on tumor cell growth in vivo. Increased hsa_circ_0020377 and KLF7 and reduced miR-194-5p were found in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Loss-of-function experiments proved that hsa_circ_0020377 depletion might block OSCC cell proliferation, cycle progression, migration, invasion, and glycolysis in vitro. In xenograft mouse models, hsa_circ_0020377 silencing might suppress tumor growth. In addition, mechanism research suggested that hsa_circ_0020377 could bind with miR-194-5p and enhance its target gene (KLF7), thereby affecting OSCC development. These results broaden our insights regarding the regulation of OSCC progression via circRNA and act as a reference for future clinical studies in OSCC diagnosis and treatment.

A two-CpG-based prognostic signature for oral squamous cell carcinoma overall survival.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) represents one of the most common head and neck cancer that with dire prognosis due partly to the lack of reliable prognostic biomarker. Here, we aimed to develop a CpG site-based prognostic signature through which we could accurately predict overall survival (OS) of patients with OSCC. We obtained OSCC-related DNA methylation and gene expression data sets from the public accessible Gene Expression Omnibus. Correlations between methylation level of CpG sites and OS of patients with OSCC were assessed by univariate Cox regression analysis followed by robust likelihood-based survival analysis on those CpG sites with permutation P < 0.05 for further screening the optimal CpG sites for OSCC OS prediction based on the risk score formula that composed of the methylation level of optimal CpG sites weighted by their regression coefficients. Besides, differential expression genes (DEGs) and differential methylation genes (DMGs) in OSCC samples compared with normal samples were obtained and shared genes were considered as vital genes in OSCC tumorgenesis and progression. As a result, two CpG sites including cg17892178 and cg17378966 that located in NID2 and IDO1, respectively, were identified as the optimal prognostic signatures for OSCC OS. In addition, 12 overlapping genes between DEGs and DMGs that closely associated with inflammation or blood and tissue development-related biological processes were obtained. In conclusions, this study should provide valuable signatures for OSCC diagnosis and treatment.

ECT2 promotes the occurrence and is a prognostic biomarker of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Epithelial Cell Transforming Sequence 2 (ECT2) has been implicated in various tumorigenic processes, including proliferation, migration, and invasion. However, its specific role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. Methods: This study integrates transcriptomic and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to explore the potential role of ECT2 in HNSCC. Differential expression analysis, cell-based assays (including CCK-8 for proliferation, transwell for migration, invasion assays, and flow cytometry for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis), and enrichment analysis were employed to investigate ECT2 expression levels and its regulatory effects on cellular phenotypes. Additionally, Mendelian randomization analysis was utilized to identify genes causally related to HNSCC using publicly available Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data. Results: ECT2 is highly expressed in HNSCC samples and its downregulation inhibits proliferation, migration, invasion, induces apoptosis, and affects the cell cycle transition in HSC-3 cells. Furthermore, differential analysis revealed significant differences in the immune microenvironment and drug sensitivity between high and low ECT2 expression groups. The pathways enriched in different groups include CCR and its related chemokines, as well as HLA in antigen presentation and immune response. There are also significant differences in the sensitivity to drugs such as bortezomib and dasatinib between the two groups. Prognostic models constructed from prognosis-related genes showed significant differences in prognosis between high and low-risk groups. Integration of scRNA-seq data identified Monocyte clusters as high-scoring cell clusters based on genes interacting with ECT2.Mendelian randomization analysis identified three genes (LGALS2, SLC11A1, and TKT) causally related to HNSCC within this cell cluster. Conclusion: The findings suggest that ECT2 overexpression is associated with the survival rate of HNSCC, indicating its potential as a prognostic biomarker for this malignancy.

The role and mechanism of circ-BNC2 on the malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play a key part in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the role of circ-BNC2 (circRNA ID hsa_circ_0086414) in OSCC progression is still unclear. METHODS: Plasmid transfection was used to induce overexpression of circ-BNC2. RNA expression of circ-BNC2, microRNA-142-3p (miR-142-3p) and GNAS complex locus (GNAS) was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression was assessed by western blot assay or immunohistochemistry assay. Cell proliferation was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, colony formation assay and flow cytometry analysis. Cell migratory and invasive abilities and cell apoptosis were assessed by transwell assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Oxidative stress was evaluated by superoxide dismutase activity detection assay, lipid peroxidation malondialdehyde assay and cellular reactive oxygen species assay. The binding relationship between miR-142-3p and circ-BNC2 or GNAS was proved by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. The impacts of circ-BNC2 overexpression on tumor growth in vivo were unveiled by a xenograft mouse model assay. RESULTS: Circ-BNC2 expression was downregulated in OSCC tissues and cells when compared with adjacent healthy tissues and normal human oral keratinocytes. Circ-BNC2 overexpression repressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of OSCC cells but induced cell apoptosis and oxidative stress. Additionally, circ-BNC2 overexpression inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, circ-BNC2 bound to miR-142-3p, and miR-142-3p targeted GNAS. MiR-142-3p mimic attenuated circ-BNC2 overexpression-mediated effects on the proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and oxidative stress of OSCC cells. The regulation of miR-142-3p in OSCC cell tumor properties involved GNAS. Further, circ-BNC2 introduction promoted GNAS expression by inhibiting miR-142-3p. CONCLUSION: Circ-BNC2 suppressed OSCC malignant progression by upregulating GNAS expression in a miR-142-3p-dependent manner, which suggested that circ-BNC2 might be a novel target for OSCC therapy.

LDLR heterozygous deletion reduces hamster testicular cholesterol toxicity via AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway.

Cholesterol is an important part of the human diet. The relationship and molecular mechanisms between intracellular cholesterol and male infertility are unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) in male infertility. Both wild-type (WT) and LDLR heterozygous deletion (LDLR+/-) male Golden Syrian hamsters were fed either a high-fat diet (HFD) or a normal diet (ND). Plasma biochemistry, serum hormone, testicular histopathology, mRNA and protein expression of AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α in both testicular tissue and isolated Leydig cells (LCs) were measured. Compared with the ND animals, the WT HFD hamsters developed dyslipidemia at three weeks with lipid droplets deposited in LCs, testosterone decreased at four weeks (0.440 ± 0.264 ng/ml vs. 2.367 ± 1.236 ng/ml), the number of the Sertoli cells decreased (21.578 ± 2.934/one tubule vs. 25.733 ± 3.424/one tubule), the seminiferous epithelium became thinner (0.0813 ± 0.01729 mm vs. 0.0944 ± 0.0138 mm), testicular atrophy and AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway downregulated at five weeks. All these changes persisted until the end of the study. LDLR+/- alleviated all of the above changes by downregulating the cellular influx of cholesterol induced by HFD except for higher hyperlipidemia. In summary, excessive intracellular cholesterol inactivates AMPK/Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway firstly in LCs and then in both Sertoli and spermatids. Cholesterol toxicity was LDLR dependent.

Circular RNA_0076977 contributes to oral squamous cell carcinoma progression through mediating microRNA-802 axis.

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to explore the role and the mechanism of circ_0076977 regulating oral squamous cell carcinoma progression (OSCC) progression. DESIGN: Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot assays were conducted to analyze RNA and protein expression. Cell proliferation was analyzed by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation and colony formation assays. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Tube formation assay was conducted to analyze cell angiogenesis ability. Transwell assays were performed to detect cell migration and invasion abilities. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was implemented to verify the target relationship. RESULTS: Circular (circ)_0076977 was abnormally up-regulated in OSCC tissues and cell lines. Circ_0076977 absence inhibited the proliferation, angiogenesis, migration, and invasion and induced the apoptosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. Circ_0076977 knockdown blocked xenograft tumor growth. miR-802 was a direct target of circ_0076977, and circ_0076977 knockdown restrained OSCC progression largely by up-regulating miR-802. miR-802 directly interacted with myosin VI (MYO6) mRNA, and MYO6 was negatively modulated by miR-802 in OSCC cells. miR-802 overexpression reduced the malignant potential of OSCC cells largely by down-regulating MYO6. Circ_0076977 could up-regulate MYO6 expression by absorbing miR-802 in OSCC cells. CONCLUSION: Circ_0076977 was up-regulated in OSCC tissues and cell lines, and high circ_0076977 expression contributed to OSCC progression by targeting miR-802/MYO6 axis.

The role of long non-coding RNA LINC01296 in oral squamous cell carcinoma: a study based on bioinformatics analysis and in vitro validation.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy in the oral cavity that represents a significant global health problem. Multivariate analysis has shown that long non-coding RNA LINC01296 plays an important role in cancer biology. However, the functions of LINC01296 in OSCC are still unknown. Methods: The RNA profiles and clinicopathological information of OSCC patients and healthy subjects were downloaded. The expression level and prognostic value of LINC01296 were assessed. The functions and pathways of LINC01296were explored using the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) and functional analysis. The expression of LINC01296 in OSCC tissues and cell lines was determined by RT-qPCR. MTS assay was used to evaluate cell growth. The migration and invasion capacities of cells were assessed by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Results: LINC01296 was overexpressed in the TCGA-OSCC datasets. High LINC01296expression was strongly correlated with poor outcomes of OSCC patients. LINC01296 was overexpressed in OSCC tissues compared with para-carcinoma tissues. Moreover, the expression of linc01296 was higher in CAL-27, HSC-2, and SCC-25 cells than in normal human oral keratinocytes (NHOKs). Functional analysis suggested that LINC01296might be involved in the regulation of the Wnt and MAPK signaling pathways. Additionally, LINC01296 deficiency suppressed the growth, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells, whereas overexpression of TFAP2A-AS1 cause opposite results. Conclusion: Our study showed that LINC01296 promoted OSCC cell growth, migration, and invasion, suggesting that LINC01296 might be a potential therapeutic target for OSCC.