SOX2-OT Binds with ILF3 to Promote Head and Neck Cancer Progression by Modulating Crosstalk between STAT3 and TGF-β Signaling

Ru Wang; Yifan Yang; Lingwa Wang; Qian Shi; Hongzhi Ma; Shizhi He; Ling Feng; Jugao Fang

doi:10.3390/cancers15245766

Cancers (Dec 2023)

SOX2-OT Binds with ILF3 to Promote Head and Neck Cancer Progression by Modulating Crosstalk between STAT3 and TGF-β Signaling

Ru Wang,
Yifan Yang,
Lingwa Wang,
Qian Shi,
Hongzhi Ma,
Shizhi He,
Ling Feng,
Jugao Fang

Affiliations

Ru Wang: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Yifan Yang: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Lingwa Wang: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Qian Shi: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Hongzhi Ma: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Shizhi He: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Ling Feng: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China
Jugao Fang: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Capital Medical University, 1 Dongjiaominxiang Street, Beijing 100730, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15245766
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 24
p. 5766

Abstract

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Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is involved in the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The molecular mechanism of lncRNA SOX2-OT in HNSCC remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the oncogenic role of SOX2-OT in HNSCC. QRT-PCR analysis was performed in 61 pairs of HNSCC cancer tissues, adjacent normal tissues, and 68 plasma samples confirmed that lncRNA SOX2-OT was overexpressed in cancer tissues and plasma samples, which served as a poor prognostic factor for HNSCC. The FISH assay demonstrated that SOX2-OT was localized in the nucleus and cytoplasm of HNSCC cell lines. Further, the cell function assay confirmed that SOX2-OT promoted cell proliferation and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. RNA pulldown and RIP assay results revealed that SOX2-OT bonds with ILF3 in HNSCC, and the rescue assay confirmed that SOX2-OT played an oncogenic role depending on ILF3 protein expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis and Western blotting indicated that SOX2-OT regulated HNSCC progression by promoting STAT3 phosphorylation and modulating the crosstalk between STAT3 and TGF-β signaling. These results reveal evidence for the role of SOX2-OT in HNSCC progression and metastasis by binding to ILF3, which may serve as a therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in HNSCC.

Published in Cancers

ISSN: 2072-6694 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens
Website: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/

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