Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Modeling Oral-Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 3D Organoids
Published on: December 23, 2022
HOXC9 accelerates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression via OTUD1-FABP5-mediated lipid metabolic
Cai Zhang1,2, Yangyang Ji3,4, Yilu Tong3,4
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China. zhangcai9394@zzu.edu.cn.
Abstract:
Homeobox C9 (HOXC9) plays a critical role in tumor progression. However, its function and regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear. Here, we found that HOXC9 expression was significantly upregulated in ESCC (|log2FC| ≥ 2, p < 0.05) and was positively associated with poor prognosis in ESCC patients (p = 0.032). HOXC9 promoted ESCC progression in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, HOXC9 directly activated ovarian tumor deubiquitinase 1 (OTUD1) transcription by binding to its promoter region. This activation enhanced OTUD1-mediated fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) deubiquitination, increasing FABP5 protein stability, reducing lipid droplet accumulation, and elevating glycerol and free fatty acid levels (p < 0.05), thereby accelerating ESCC cell proliferation and migration. In addition, HOXC9-OTUD1-FABP5 signaling was closely linked to the clinicopathological grade of ESCC patients. Our study comprehensively reveals the mechanism by which HOXC9 accelerates ESCC progression, and identifies potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of ESCC.
Related Concept Videos
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
Pleiotropy
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Tumor Progression
Colon cancer is one of the best-documented examples of tumor progression. Early mutation in the APC gene in colon cells causes a small growth on the colon wall called a polyp. With time, this polyp grows into a benign, pre-cancerous tumor. Further...
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
