Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 20, 2025

RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
10:26

RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Published on: March 11, 2014

27.8K

Raptor and rictor expression in patients with human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Shunsuke Kondo1, Hitoshi Hirakawa1, Taro Ikegami1

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, 207 Uehara, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa, 903-0215, Japan.

BMC Cancer
|January 23, 2021
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, specifically raptor and rictor, is overexpressed in human papillomavirus (HPV)-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). This suggests temsirolimus may be a potential treatment for HPV-related OPSCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is linked to mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling.
  • The specific role of mTOR pathway components, raptor and rictor, in HPV-related head and neck cancers remains unclear.
  • This study investigates the mTOR pathway's role in HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of the mTOR pathway, including raptor and rictor, in HPV-related OPSCC.
  • To assess the expression of mTOR complexes in HPV-related OPSCC tissues.
  • To examine the relationship between mTOR complex expression and patient survival.

Main Methods:

  • Investigated mTOR and related complex activity in HPV-positive and HPV-negative cancer cell lines.
  • Analyzed mTOR complex expression in 80 oropharyngeal cancer tissue samples.
  • Correlated mTOR complex expression with survival outcomes in OPSCC patients.

Main Results:

  • High gene and protein expression of raptor was observed in HPV-positive cell lines.
  • Temsirolimus (a rapamycin analog) induced cell cycle arrest and inhibited growth in HPV-positive cell lines.
  • HPV-related OPSCC tissues showed higher raptor and rictor expression than HPV-unrelated OPSCC, correlating with worse prognosis.

Conclusions:

  • Raptor and rictor play significant roles in HPV-related OPSCC.
  • Temsirolimus demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for HPV-related OPSCC.
  • This study is the first to report the overexpression of raptor and rictor in HPV-related OPSCC.
Keywords:
Human papillomavirusOropharyngeal cancerOverall survivalRapalogRaptorRictorTemsirolimusmTOR

More Related Videos

Four-color Fluorescence Immunohistochemistry of T-cell Subpopulations in Archival Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Human Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Samples07:43

Four-color Fluorescence Immunohistochemistry of T-cell Subpopulations in Archival Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Human Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Samples

Published on: July 29, 2017

9.9K
Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization as a Tool for HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis06:57

Chromogenic In Situ Hybridization as a Tool for HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis

Published on: June 14, 2019

10.9K

Related Concept Videos

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer01:03

Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) and Cancer

Rous Sarcoma virus or RSV was discovered by F. Peyton Rous in the year 1911 as a filterable transmissible agent that could cause tumors in chickens. He won a Nobel Prize for this discovery in 1966. His experiments clearly demonstrated that some cancers could be caused by infectious agents and led to the discovery of many more cancer-causing viruses in animals as well as humans.
RSV is a retrovirus that contains two copies of a plus-strand  RNA genome. Its genome consists of four main open...
5.8K
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
4.4K
Abnormal Proliferation02:23

Abnormal Proliferation

Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.9K
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
12.6K
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers01:51

Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers

Retroviruses are RNA viruses that have been shown to cause cancers in diverse species, including chickens, mice, cats, and monkeys. The RNA genomes of these viruses are first reverse-transcribed into single and then double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) copies. This dsDNA called proviral DNA then integrates into the host genome. Subsequently, the host cell transcribes the proviral DNA in concert with the chromosomal DNA. This leads to the production of viral RNA and proteins that assemble at the host...
5.9K
The Ras Gene02:38

The Ras Gene

The Ras-gene-encoded proteins are regulators of signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation, differentiation, or cell survival. The Ras-gene family in humans constitutes three primary members—the HRas, NRas, and KRas. These genes code for four functionally distinct yet closely related proteins—the HRas, NRas, KRas4A, and KRas4B. The involvement of mutant Ras genes in human cancer was first discovered in 1982 and is among the most common causes of human tumorigenesis.
Ras is a...
6.7K