NID1 promotes laryngeal cancer stemness via activating WNT pathway

Laryngeal cancer (LCA) is one of the most common head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with poor outcome. LCA stem cells are the main reason for LCA therapy resistance and relapse. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of the self-renew of LCA stem cells is critical to develop now targets and strategies for LCA therapy.

Q-PCR and western blotting assays were used to determine NID1 level in LCA tissues and normal laryngeal tissues. MTT, colony formation assay, apoptosis assay and animal model were used to investigate the effect of NID1 on radiotherapy resistance. Side population assay and sphere formation assay were used to determine the role of LCA in the self-renew of LCA stem cells.

NID1 was upregulated in LCA tissues, particularly in LCA tissues derived from relapsed patients, and associated with had poor outcome. NID1 knockdown suppressed radiotherapy resistance and the self-renew of LCA stem cells, while NID1 overexpression promoted radiotherapy resistance and the self-renew of LCA stem cells. Further analysis showed that NID1 promotes radiotherapy resistance and the self-renew of LCA stem cells via activating WNT pathway. Moreover, NID1 level was positively correlated with nuclear β-Catenin level in LCA tissues.

Our results show that NID1 promotes radiotherapy resistance and the self-renew of LCA stem cells via activating WNT pathway, providing a novel potential target for LCA treatment.