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HPRT promotes proliferation and metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through direct interaction with

Lin Wang1, Yupu Wang1, Nannan Han1

  • 1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology & Shanghai Research Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, 200011, China; National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, 200011, China.

Experimental Cell Research
|December 19, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) promotes head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) progression by interacting with STAT3. Reducing HPRT enhances EGFR inhibitor efficacy, suggesting HPRT as a therapeutic target for HNSCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) requires novel therapeutic strategies.
  • Improving the efficacy of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) inhibitors is a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) in HNSCC.
  • To identify HPRT as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic indicator for HNSCC.

Main Methods:

  • Bioinformatic analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-Seq data.
  • In vitro and in vivo loss- and gain-of-function experiments in HNSCC cell lines and xenografts.
  • Investigation of HPRT's interaction with Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3).

Main Results:

  • Higher HPRT expression in HNSCC tissues correlates with poor patient prognosis.
  • HPRT overexpression promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers via STAT3 interaction.
  • HPRT knockdown reduces tumor growth and sensitizes HNSCC to EGFR inhibitors.

Conclusions:

  • HPRT acts as a STAT3 binding partner, promoting EMT and proliferation in HNSCC.
  • HPRT is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HNSCC treatment.
Keywords:
EGFR inhibitorEMTHNSCCHPRTSTAT3

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