Hongyu Yang

Long non-coding RNA UCA1 contributes to the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway.

With the development of functional genomics studies, a mass of long non‐coding RNAs (LncRNA) were discovered from the human genome. Long non‐coding RNAs serve as pivotal regulators of genes that are able to generate LncRNA–binding protein complexes to modulate a great number of genes. Recently, the LncRNA urothelial carcinoma‐associated 1 (UCA1) has been revealed to be dysregulated, which plays a critical role in the development of a few cancers. However, the role of the biology and clinical significance of UCA1 in the tumorigenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain unknown. We found that UCA1 expression levels were upregulated aberrantly in tongue squamous cell carcinoma tissues and associated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. We explored the expression, function, and molecular mechanism of LncRNA UCA1 in OSCC. In the present work, we revealed that UCA1 silencing suppressed proliferation and metastasis and induced apoptosis of OSCC cell lines in vitro and in vivo, which might be related to the activation level of the WNT/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Our research results emphasize the pivotal role of UCA1 in the oncogenesis of OSCC and reveal a novel LncRNA UCA1–β‐catenin–WNT signaling pathway regulatory network that could contribute to our understanding in the pathogenesis of OSCC and assist in the discovery of a viable LncRNA‐directed diagnostic and therapeutic strategy for this fatal disease.

Long non-coding RNA MALAT-1 modulates metastatic potential of tongue squamous cell carcinomas partially through the regulation of small proline rich proteins

BackgroundWe previously described several abnormally expressed long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in tong squamous cell carcinomas (TSCCs) that might be associated with tumor progression. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of abnormally expressed metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT-1) lncRNA in the metastatic potential of TSCC cells and its molecular mechanisms.MethodsExpression levels of MALAT-1 lncRNA were examined via quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 127 TSCC samples as well as paired adjacent normal tissues and lymph node metastases (if exist). Lentiviral vectors expressing short hairpin RNA (shRNA) were used to knock down the expression of MALAT1 gene in two TSCC cell lines (CAL27 and SCC-25) with relatively higher MALAT-1 expression. Proliferational ability of the TSCC cells was analyzed using water soluble tetrazolium-1 (WST-1) assay. Metastatic abilities of TSCC cells were estimated in-vitro and in-vivo. We also performed a microarray-based screen to identify the genes influenced by MALAT-1 alteration, which were validated by real-time PCR analysis.ResultsExpression of MALAT-1 lncRNA was enhanced in TSCCs, especially in those with lymph node metastasis (LNM). Knockdown (KD) of MALAT-1 lncRNA in TSCC cells led to impaired migration and proliferation ability in-vitro and fewer metastases in-vivo. DNA microarray analysis showed that several members of small proline rich proteins (SPRR) were up-regulated by KD of MALAT-1 lncRNA in TSCC cells. SPRR2A over-expression could impair distant metastasis of TSCC cells in-vivo.ConclusionEnhanced expression of MALAT-1 is associated with the growth and metastatic potential of TSCCs. Knock down of MALAT-1 in TSCCs leads to the up-regulation of certain SPRR proteins, which influenced the distant metastasis of TSCC cells.

Salivary duct carcinoma of the parotid gland: A case report and review of the literature.

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is a rare and aggressive parotid malignancy that most commonly affects males in the fifth and sixth decades of life. Histopathology specimens obtained from SDC patients demonstrate a resemblance to ductal carcinoma of the breast. Therefore, to distinguish SDC from breast ductal carcinoma, several immunohistochemical markers exist that may enable surgeons to make an accurate diagnosis. In this study, the case of a 54-year-old male with salivary duct carcinoma of the right parotid gland is presented. The results of the present case study revealed that the SDC sample was positive for the expression of human epidermal growth factor 2 (Her-2), cytokeratin (CK) 8/CK 18, p63, high molecular weight CK and calponin, and negative for expression of the estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor. Based on the result, an ipsilateral selective neck dissection followed by adjuvant post-operative radiation therapy was suitable at the primary treatment stage. At one year of follow-up, the patient was alive and free of recurrence. In advanced cases of SDC, treatment with anti-HER-2 monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, is recommended.

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the maxillary gingiva: A case report and review of the literature

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare, but distinct histologic variant of squamous cell carcinoma in the head and neck region. It is considered to have a poor prognosis due to its aggressive behavior and tendency to metastasize. The usual sites of BSCC are the floor of the mouth, hypopharynx and base of the tongue, and according to the English-language literature its presentation in the gingiva is somewhat uncommon. In the current report, the unusual case of a 40-year-old male is presented; the patient exhibited a painless irregular mass in the maxillary gingiva, which infiltrated the maxillary sinus, as observed by computed tomography. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections revealed a diagnosis of BSCC with typical central necrosis in the cancer nests, which contained basaloid and squamous cells. Immunohistochemistry revealed that p63 was weakly positive, high molecular weight cytokeratin (CK) was focally positive, and S-100, CK7, CK14 and vimentin were negative. It must be noted that histopathology results may be incorrectly interpreted as adenoid cystic carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma and basal cell adenocarcinoma.

Recurrent fibrosarcoma of maxillary sinus involving the cranial base: A rare case

Adult fibrosarcoma (FS) of the maxillary sinus and the cranial base is a rare soft tissue sarcoma which is clinically characterized by a high frequency of local repeated recurrence if not excised widely. At present, the standard treatment option for FS is surgical resection. Here, we report a case of a 46-year-old male with a 5 months history recurrent FS of the maxillary sinus. The patient possessed an enormous mass in the right maxillofacial region extending to the cranial base, as observed by computed tomography. Histologically, the lessions were composed of hypercellular cells with heterogenous groups. The recurrence and pathologically heterogenous groups of FS lead to therapeutic complexities. Due to the challenging anatomy in head and neck region, it is crucial to define the lesion areas and weigh the balance between life quality and functional reconstruction.

Circular RNA Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a type of non-coding RNA molecule that affects the cellular regulatory network by sequestering microRNA (miRNA) like a sponge. This study was performed to identify differentially-expressed circRNA in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). By high-throughput sequencing, microarray circRNA expression profiles were acquired from patients with OSCCs (n = 8) and controls (n = 8), which totaled 1921 existing circRNA molecules and 10021 novel circRNA molecules. Most of the circular RNA is from exons and distributed in the No. 1 and 2 chromosomes. Eight up-regulated and down-regulated circRNA molecules were identified as differentially-expressed in OSCCs. Among this, the expression of circ_000334, circ_006740, and circ_006371 are significantly down-regulated in 42 pairs of samples, which means that these circRNA molecules might be implicated in oncogenesis and development of OSCCs.

Hsa_circ_0008309 May Be a Potential Biomarker for Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common cancer of the head and neck region. The circular RNA (circRNA) is known to serve an important role in the carcinogenesis of different types of cancer. However, the circRNA role of OSCC remains unclear. Methods 8 pairs of OSCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were obtained to detect circRNAs expression by high-throughput sequencing, and 45 pairs of OSCC tissues were selected to verify the differentially significant circRNAs by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). To further investigate the role of hsa_circ_0008309, the circRNA-microRNA (miR)-mRNA network was predicted using bioinformatics databases. The expression levels of hsa_circ_0008309, miR-1290, miR-136-5P, and miR-382-5P in SCC-15 and CAL27 cell lines were detected by RT-qPCR. Western blotting was performed to detect the protein level of Ataxin 1 (ATXN1). Results The high-throughput sequencing results demonstrated that circRNAs were abundantly expressed in OSCC, and 16 circRNAs were significantly differentially expressed. Hsa_circ_0008309 was significantly downregulated in 45 pairs of OSCC tissue samples and was statistically correlated with pathological differentiation. The bioinformatics databases suggested that hsa_circ_0008309 could combine with miR-1290, miR-136-5P, and miR-382-5P, respectively, to regulate the expression of ATXN1. It was subsequently identified that hsa_circ_0008309 may inhibit miR-136-5P and miR-382-5P expression and increase ATXN1 expression in the OSCC cell lines. Conclusion In summary, the results of the present study revealed that OSCC tissues have abundant circRNAs and, to the best of our knowledge, we firstly explore the regulatory role of the hsa_circ_0008309-miR-136-5P/hsa-miR-382-5P-ATXN1 network in OSCC. The results indicated that hsa_circ_0008309 may be a potential biomarker for OSCC.

Clinical Significance of the Decreased Expression of hsa_circ_001242 in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a type of covalently closed loop structure of endogenous RNAs. Recent studies have shown that circular RNAs may play an important role in human cancer. However, there is limited information on the function of circRNA in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods Hsa_circ_001242 expression levels in 40 paired OSCC tissues and four OSCC cell lines were selected using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of hsa_circ_001242 in OSCC. Results Hsa_circ_001242 was significantly downregulated in OSCC tissues compared to paired adjacent normal tissues (P < 0.001). Hsa_circ_001242 expression levels were significantly downregulated in four OSCC cell lines (SCC-9, SCC-15, SCC25, and CAL-27) than in human normal oral keratinocyte (HOK) cell lines. Moreover, the expression level of hsa_circ_001242 was negatively correlated with tumor size and T stage (P < 0.05). The area under the ROC curve was 0.784. Conclusion This study showed that hsa_circ_001242 was significantly downregulated in OSCC and may act as a potential novel biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of OSCC.

Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma with high-grade transformation of parotid gland: A case report and literature review

Rationale: Epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) is regarded as a rare low-grade malignant tumor of the salivary gland, accounting for 0.4% to 1% of all salivary gland tumors. However, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma with high-grade transformation (EMC with HGT) is extremely rare, therefore it is easily to be inappropriately diagnosed and treated. Herein, we report an unusual case of EMC with HGT involving the parotid gland and discuss the clinical features and histological characteristic of EMC with HGT, in order to remind the doctors to take appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Patient concerns: A 77-year-old female sought for treatment in our hospital due to pain mass in the left parotid gland for 6 months with rapid growth recently. Diagnoses: EMC with HGT was confirmed by final pathology, and then the result showed there were 2 distinctly different areas in the tumor, including the typical EMC component and intensive spindle cells component. Interventions: The extensive resection surgery was performed. Outcomes: The patient was uneventful after surgery and no recurrence or metastasis has been observed after follow-up of 4 years. Lessons: A review of literature suggested that EMC with HGT patients trend to be more aged, more aggressive and poorer prognosis than typical EMC patients. In order to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, it is necessary to accurately recognize the differences between the EMC with HGT and typical EMC.

An unusual case of oropharyngeal chordoma: A case report and literature review

Rationale: Chordomas are rare malignant neoplasms derived from incomplete regression of notochordal tissue along the cranio-coccygeal axis. Chordomas that develop in an atypical position are called ectopic chordomas, such as oropharyngeal chordomas (OCs). OCs are exceedingly rare; only 11 cases have been reported to date. Preoperative diagnosis is challenging, and an accurate diagnosis thus is based on postoperative pathologic examination findings and immunohistochemistry. Although surgical therapy and radiotherapy is performed in some patients, the 5-year survival rate is low. Increasingly more studies of chordomas have been based on molecular biology to increase the survival rate, and targeted therapy could be a new therapy in the future. Patient concerns: The patient presented with a left oropharyngeal mass that had begun slowly enlarging 1 year previously. He reported a foreign body sensation and dysphonia during this time period. Diagnoses: The patient was initially diagnosed with a neurogenic tumor. Routine postoperative pathology showed that the mass was consistent with a chordoma. Intervention: Mass resection was performed. Outcome: One year after the initial surgery, magnetic resonance imaging revealed block signal images at the left retropharyngeal space and clivus. The patient developed recurrence of the OC. Lessons: Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for OC, and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy is also important. An understanding of the unusual case described in this report may be helpful in diagnosing OC, and development of targeted therapy may help clinicians to provide novel treatment for patients with OC.