Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Isolation and Characterization of a Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Subpopulation Having Stem Cell Characteristics
Published on: May 11, 2016
Upregulated CD44v9 expression inhibits the invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells
Sunao Sato1, Mutsumi Miyauchi, Mitsuyasu Kato
1Department of Oral Maxillofacial Pathobiology, Division of Frontier Medical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Objectives:
CD44 is one of the cell surface molecules that play an important role in cancer metastasis. In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), the downregulation of CD44v9 has been shown to be associated with tumor metastasis. We found that treatment with an anti-CD44v9 antibody enhanced the invasive potential of OSCC cell lines. Based on previous studies and our results, reduced expression of CD44v9 may be correlated with an increased invasive potential, i.e. the overexpression of CD44v9 may inhibit the invasive activity of OSCC cells.
Methods:
To study this correlation, we transfected the CD44v9 gene into HSC-4 cells with low CD44v9 expression and examined their invasive potential using the cell culture invasion assay and a three-dimensional culture invasion assay.
Results:
Overexpression of CD44v9 resulted in a downregulation of the invasive potential of HSC-4 cells. Moreover, CD44v9-transfected cells did not invade reorganized stroma, while parent HSC-4 cells exhibited diffuse invasion into reorganized stroma by the three-dimensional culture invasion assay.
Conclusions:
Overall, these findings suggest that the inhibition of the invasive potential by upregulation of CD44v9 expression may be due to enhanced cell-cell adhesion. In our opinion, the upregulation of CD44v9 may be a target for future cancer treatment.
Insights
Overexpressing CD44v9 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells reduces their invasive potential. This suggests CD44v9 upregulation may inhibit metastasis and serve as a future cancer treatment target.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Cancer Metastasis Research
Background:
- CD44 is a cell surface molecule crucial for cancer metastasis.
- Downregulation of CD44 variant 9 (CD44v9) correlates with metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
- Previous findings indicate reduced CD44v9 expression may increase invasive potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between CD44v9 expression and invasive potential in OSCC.
- To determine if CD44v9 overexpression inhibits OSCC cell invasion.
Main Methods:
- Transfection of the CD44v9 gene into OSCC cell line HSC-4 (low CD44v9 expression).
- Assessment of invasive potential using cell culture invasion and 3D culture invasion assays.
Main Results:
- CD44v9 overexpression significantly downregulated the invasive potential of HSC-4 cells.
- CD44v9-transfected cells showed inhibited invasion into reorganized stroma compared to parent cells in 3D cultures.
Conclusions:
- Upregulation of CD44v9 expression inhibits OSCC cell invasion, potentially via enhanced cell-cell adhesion.
- CD44v9 upregulation represents a potential therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.
Related Concept Videos
01:35Cancer Cell Migration through Invadopodia
02:34Inhibition of CDK Activity