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Updated: Jul 31, 2025
Intramucosal Inoculation of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells in Mice for Tumor Immune Profiling and Treatment Response Assessment
Published on: April 22, 2019
MiR-125 family improves the radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Qi-Wei Wang1, Ya-Nan Sun2, Li-Jun Tan3
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, People's Republic of China.
Background:
MiRNAs can affect the radiosensitization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We aimed to analyze the function of miR-125 family members in HNSCC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and determine their effect on radiation in laryngeal squamous cell cancer (LSCC).
Methods:
First, we systematically analyzed the role of the miR-125 family in HNSCC using the TCGA database and found that miR-125a-5p is associated with radiotherapy. We then performed comprehensive enrichment analysis of miR-125a-5p and predicted target genes. Then, we performed transfection, cell proliferation assays, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, apoptosis assays, micronucleus tests, and western blotting on hep-2 cells selected with puromycin.
Results:
MiR-125 family members exhibited significantly different expression in HNSCC. They were significantly associated with tumor-node-metastasis staging, clinical stages, and histological grades. Radiation therapy had a statistically effect on miR-125 family members, except miR-125a-3p. Moreover, miR-125a-5p was related to overall survival in LSCC. Thus, we predicted 110 target genes and seven hub genes of miR-125a-5p. The proliferation rate of cells transfected with lentivirus vector expressing miR-125a-5p was significantly reduced compared to the other groups. The radiation effect was enhanced in cells transfected with miR-125a-5p. The ratio of apoptotic cells transfected and exposed to X-rays (10 Gy) was distinctly higher than that of the Ad-control group. Western blotting analysis revealed that miR-125a-5p upregulated the apoptotic regulators P53 and rH2AX. Thus, miR-125a-5p may increase radiosensitivity in LSCC via upregulation of pro-apoptotic genes.
Conclusions:
MiR-125 family members could be prognostic biomarkers of HNSCC and improve HNSCC sensitivity to radiotherapy by activating P53. Upregulating miR-125a-5p via lentivirus vectors may be a novel strategy to strengthen the effect of radiotherapy on LSCC.
