The potential mechanism of WT1-associated protein-induced N-6-methyladenosine modification of colony-stimulating factor 2 in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by JAK/STAT3 pathway regulation.

Colony-stimulating factor 2 (CSF2) plays a regulatory role in numerous cancers. However, there is needed to investigate the role of CSF2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) malignant phenotype and the specific mechanisms of CSF2 N-6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. Therefore, we investigated the regulatory mechanism of m6A-modified CSF2 by WT1-associated protein (WTAP) in OSCC via qRT-PCR, western blot, WTAP and CSF2 overexpression in OSCC. In a panel of OSCCs, Kaplan-Meier plot analysis indicated that high expression of CSF2 was associated with poorer prognosis. Cell functional experiments revealed that enrichment of CSF2 promoted the proliferation and migration of OSCC cells by activating the JAK/STAT3 pathway, whereas the reduced expression of CSF2 resulted in the malignant decline of OSCC cells by blocking the JAK/STAT3 pathway. This study also confirmed that WTAP enhanced the m6A level of CSF2 and facilitated the expression of CSF2 and that CSF2 silencing blocked the invasive phenotype of OSCC cells and reversed the malignancy induced by WTAP overexpression. Overall, this study demonstrated that WTAP mediates the m6A modification of CSF2 and the JAK/STAT3 pathway, which plays an oncogenic role in the development of OSCC and can be a target for the treatment of patients with OSCC.

A study on related factors affecting dental fear in preschool children.

This study aims to examine the manifestations of dental anxiety (DA) and its influencing factors during dental visits among preschool children. The data of 166 preschool children who visited the Department of Dentistry of our hospital from April 2021 to April 2023 with oral problems were retrieved. Their DA performance was investigated using the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS). In addition, based on their general data and potential risk factor information, we performed logistic regression analysis to identify the factors influencing DA. Of the 166 questionnaires distributed, a total of 160 valid questionnaires were retrieved. The average CFSS-DS score was 35.57 ± 3.51 points. Sixty-six children had DA, resulting in an incidence rate of 41.25%. The top 5 items with the highest CFSS-DS scores were fear of needles, dentists, tooth extraction, drilling and oral anesthesia. When the 66 children with DA were classified into a DA group and a non-DA group, we observed significant differences in age distribution, dental experience, only child status, general anxiety symptoms, dental condition, family income and specific dental treatment procedures, particularly tooth extraction, between them (p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that preschool children aged ≤4 years, those with prior dental experiences, single-child status, general anxiety symptoms, suboptimal dental health, family incomes below 100,000 yuan/year, and those undergoing specific dental procedures, such as tooth extractions, were independently associated with a higher risk of DA (p < 0.05). The incidence of DA in preschool children is high, and they exhibit substantial fear of needles, dentists, tooth extraction, drilling and oral anesthesia. Preschool children aged ≤4 years, with prior dental experiences, single-child status, the presence of general anxiety symptoms, suboptimal dental health, family incomes below 100,000 yuan/year, and those undergoing dental procedures, particularly tooth extraction, could be more predisposed to DA.

A study on the mechanism of agonists in regulating transcriptional level of pIgR in salivary gland epithelial cells.

The aim of the present study was to explore the mechanism of agonists in regulating transcriptional level of polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) in salivary gland epithelial cells, thus revealing the defense effect of salivary immune on bacteria in the oral cavity. Sixty patients with oral bacterial infection and 70 patients suffering from oral diseases without bacterial infection were selected randomly from patients in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from April 2015 to April 2017. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from salivary gland epithelial cells of all patients. Fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) and western blotting methods were adopted to detect and compare the transcriptional level of pIgR. The salivary gland epithelial cells of the 60 patients with oral bacterial infection were isolated and extracted, and they were divided into two groups (observation group and control group) randomly. Agonists were added to the observation group for acting for 24 h. FQ-PCR and immunofluorescence (IF) were adopted to detect and compare the transcriptional level of pIgR after acting with agonists. The toxicity of agonists on the cells was detected with Cell Counting kit-8 (CCK-8). The isolated salivary gland epithelial cells conformed to the morphology of epithelial cells, and adhered to the wall for growing. The transcriptional level of pIgR in the bacterial infection group was lower than that in the non-bacterial infection group (p<0.05). The transcriptional level of pIgR in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.05) after acting with agonists. Agonists can promote the rise of transcriptional level of pIgR in salivary gland epithelial cells, and the increase in pIgR is closely related to the cure of oral bacterial infection. Therefore, agonists can improve the oral immune function by regulating the transcription of pIgR.