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BMC Cancer

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Open Access 01-12-2021 | Research

Overexpression of UTX promotes tumor progression in Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving surgical resection: a case control study

Authors: Yen-Hao Chen, Chang-Han Chen, Chih-Yen Chien, Yan-Ye Su, Sheng-Dean Luo, Shau-Hsuan Li

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2021

Abstract

Background

Ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat on chromosome X (UTX) has been identified as a histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylase and acted as a tumor suppressor gene or oncogenic function. The current study was to explore the significance of UTX in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) patients who received surgical resection.

Methods

A total of 148 OTSCC patients who underwent surgical resection were identified, including 64 patients (43%) with overexpression of UTX and 84 patients (57%) harboring low expression of UTX. We also used two OTSCC cell lines, SAS and Cal 27, to determine the modulation of cancer. Chi-square test was used to investigate the difference of categorical variables between the groups; survival outcome was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method in univariate analysis, and a Cox regression model was performed for multivariate analyses.

Results

Univariate and multivariate analyses showed overexpression of UTX were significantly related to worse disease-free survival (P = 0.028) and overall survival (P = 0.029). The two OTSCC cell lines were treated with GSK-J4, a potent inhibitor of UTX, and transwell migration and invasion assays showed an inhibitory effect with a dose-dependent manner. In addition, western blot analyses also revealed the inhibition of cell cycle and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that UTX plays an important role in the process of OTSCC and overexpression of UTX may predict poor prognosis in OTSCC patients who received surgical resection.

Available only for authorised users

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Title: Overexpression of UTX promotes tumor progression in Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma patients receiving surgical resection: a case control study
Authors: Yen-Hao Chen
Chang-Han Chen
Chih-Yen Chien
Yan-Ye Su
Sheng-Dean Luo
Shau-Hsuan Li
Publication date: 01-12-2021
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-08726-3

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Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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