[The experimental study of CXC subfamily receptor 4 modulating oral squamous cell carcinoma epithelial-mesenchymal transition to influence lymphatic metastasis in vitro].

OBJECTIVE

To sutdy the effect and mechanism of CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR-4 )modulating oral squanmous cell carcinoma (OSCC) epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)to mediate tumor lymphatic metastasis.

METHODS

Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the CXCR-4 and EMT related proteins among 60 OSCC samples with different lymph node metastasis status and the relationship with clinicopathological features and EMT related factors were analyzed. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) was applied to silence CXCR-4 in Tscca cell.Reverse transcription-PCR and Western blotting were used to observe the inhibitory effect. The wound healing assay, transwell invasion assay and flow cotometry were used to detect Tscca cell migration, invasion ability and apoptosis.

RESULTS

In lymph node metastasis group, the expression of CXCR-4, N-cadherin, Twist, Snail were higher than those in non-lymph node metastasis group. CXCR-4 showed a positive correlation with Twist, Snail, N-cadherin (correlation coefficient:0.300, 0.256, 0.333, P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with β-catenin (correlation coefficient:-0.497, P < 0.05). CXCR-4 silencing inhibited the migration and invasion of Tscca cell and induced apoptosis of the cell. Western blotting results indicated that N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteina-2/9 (MMP-2/9) was decreased (N-cadherin: F = 20.999, P = 0.002; MMP-2: F = 47.156, P = 0.000; MMP-9: F = 142.317, P = 0.000) while E-cadherin was up-regulated (F = 111.022, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS

CXCR-4 might play a critical role in the metastasis of OSCC via modulating EMT.