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Updated: Aug 1, 2025
Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
DEC1 is a potential marker of early metastasis in Oral squamous cell carcinoma
Ting Mao1, Weijun Chen2, Haofeng Xiong2
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Research Center of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumor, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Institute of Oral Precancerous Lesions, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Department of Stomatology, The first hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China.
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the role of differentiated embryonic-chondrocyte expressed gene 1 (DEC1) in early oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) metastasis.
Methods And Materials:
This study collected normal oral mucosas (NOM) and OSCC tissues from Xiangya Hospital for immunohistochemistry to detect the expressions of DEC1 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) -related molecules. Correlation analysis between the expressions of the cytoplasmic DEC1 and EMT-related molecules was performed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to estimate Recurrence-free survival (RFS). After knocking down DEC1, cell migration and the expressions of EMT-related molecules were evaluated in HN6 cells by cell scratch assay, qRT-PCR, and western blot.
Results:
Immunohistochemistry showed that the subcellular location of DEC1 expression was different between OSCC and NOM tissues. The cytoplasmic expression of DEC1 in OSCC tissues was significantly higher than in NOM tissues, and its expression was highest in early OSCC patients with metastasis. In addition, the cytoplasmic DEC1 was negatively correlated with the E-cadherin and β-catenin, but positively correlated with the N-cadherin in OSCC and NOM tissues. In vitro assays showed that DEC1 knockdown inhibited cell migration and EMT in HN6 cells.
Conclusion:
DEC1 could serve as a potential predictive marker for early OSCC metastasis.
