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Updated: Aug 13, 2025

Modeling Oral-Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 3D Organoids
Published on: December 23, 2022
RIOK2 Contributes to Cell Growth and Protein Synthesis in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Yusuke Matsuzaki1,2, Yutaka Naito1, Nami Miura1
1Department of Bioregulation, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan.
Abstract:
Ribosomes are responsible for the protein synthesis that maintains cellular homeostasis and is required for the rapid cellular division of cancer cells. However, the role of ribosome biogenesis mediators in the malignant behavior of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is unknown. In this study, we found that the expression of RIOK2, a key enzyme involved in the maturation steps of the pre-40S ribosomal complex, was significantly associated with poorer overall survival in patients with TSCC. Further, multivariate analysis revealed that RIOK2 is an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio, 3.53; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-10.91). Inhibition of RIOK2 expression by siRNA decreased cell growth and S6 ribosomal protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. RIOK2 knockdown also led to a significant decrease in the protein synthesis in cancer cells. RIOK2 has potential application as a novel therapeutic target for TSCC treatment.
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