Rao Yong, Chen Xiao, Li Kaiyu, Nie Minhai, Liu Xuqian
Department of Periodontics and Oral Mucosal Diseases, The Afliated Stomatology Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
Institute of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
Oncol Res. 2025 Feb 28;33(3):577-590. doi: 10.32604/or.2024.053119. eCollection 2025.
Decorin (DCN) is primarily found in the connective tissues of various parts of the body, including the lungs, kidneys, bone tissue, aorta, and tendons. It is an important component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and belongs to the class I small leucine-rich proteoglycans family. DCN is increasingly attracting attention due to its significant role in tumors, fibrotic diseases, and the regulation of vascular formation. Moreover, its anti-tumor properties have positioned it as a promising biomarker in the fight against cancer. Numerous studies have confirmed that DCN can exert inhibitory effects in various solid tumors, particularly in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), by activating its downstream pathways through binding with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET) receptor, or by stabilizing and enhancing the expression of the tumor suppressor gene p53 to mediate apoptosis in cancer cells that have undergone mutation. The occurrence of OSCC is a continuous and dynamic process, encompassing the transition from normal mucosa to oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), and further progressing from OPMDs to the malignant transformation into OSCC. We have found that DCN may exhibit a bidirectional effect in the progression of oral mucosal carcinogenesis, showing a trend of initial elevation followed by a decline, which decreases with the differentiation of OSCC. In OPMDs, DCN exhibits high expression and may be associated with malignant transformation, possibly linked to the increased expression of P53 in OPMDs. In OSCC, the expression of DCN is reduced, which can impact OSCC angiogenesis, and inhibit tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, serving as a potential marker for predicting adverse prognosis in OSCC patients. This article reviews the current research status of DCN, covering its molecular structure, properties, and involvement in the onset and progression of oral mucosal carcinogenesis. It elucidates DCN's role in this process and aims to offer insights for future investigations into its mechanism of action in oral mucosal carcinogenesis and its potential application in the early diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.
核心蛋白聚糖（DCN）主要存在于身体各个部位的结缔组织中，包括肺、肾、骨组织、主动脉和肌腱。它是细胞外基质（ECM）的重要组成部分，属于富含亮氨酸的小分子蛋白聚糖I类家族。由于DCN在肿瘤、纤维化疾病以及血管形成调节中发挥着重要作用，它越来越受到关注。此外，其抗肿瘤特性使其成为抗癌斗争中有前景的生物标志物。大量研究证实，DCN可通过与表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）和间充质 - 上皮转化（MET）受体结合激活下游途径，或通过稳定和增强肿瘤抑制基因p53的表达来介导癌细胞凋亡，从而在各种实体瘤中发挥抑制作用，尤其是在口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）中。OSCC的发生是一个连续且动态的过程，包括从正常黏膜向口腔潜在恶性疾病（OPMDs）的转变，以及从OPMDs进一步发展为恶性转化为OSCC。我们发现DCN在口腔黏膜癌变过程中可能呈现双向作用，表现出先升高后下降的趋势，且随着OSCC的分化而降低。在OPMDs中，DCN表达较高，可能与恶性转化有关，这可能与OPMDs中P53表达增加有关。在OSCC中，DCN的表达降低，这会影响OSCC的血管生成，并抑制肿瘤细胞的增殖、迁移和侵袭能力，可作为预测OSCC患者不良预后的潜在标志物。本文综述了DCN的当前研究现状，包括其分子结构、特性以及在口腔黏膜癌变发生和发展中的作用。它阐明了DCN在此过程中的作用，旨在为未来研究其在口腔黏膜癌变中的作用机制及其在OSCC早期诊断和治疗中的潜在应用提供见解。
