Evaluation of microRNA expression profiling in highly metastatic laryngocarcinoma cells

Abstract

Background: Until now, little is known about the role of miRNAs in the invasion and metastasis of Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the relationship between microRNA and the invasion and metastasis of LSCC.

Material and methods: The highly metastatic laryngocarcinoma cells were obtained from the established animal model with spontaneous lymph node metastasis of LSCC in our previous study. MicroRNA expression profiling and bioinformatic analysis were performed to analyze the microRNA expression changes in the highly metastatic laryngocarcinoma cells and the parental tumor cells (HEP-2). RT-PCR was performed for further validation of the result of microarray.

Results: A total of 40 microRNAs were found to be significantly altered in the highly metastatic laryngocarcinoma cells compared to controls. Bioinformatic analysis identified that 19 key microRNAs might involve in LSCC development. Moreover, RT-PCR confirmed that miR-25, miR-100, miR-125b-5p and let-7g were differentially expressed in different laryngocarcinoma cells and human tumor specimens.

Conclusions and significance: Our findings suggest that microRNA play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of LSCC, and provide the clues for studying the function of microRNA as well as opportunities to analyze the complex molecular abnormalities driving LSCC progression.

Chinese abstract

背景：迄今为止, 人们对微RNA在喉鳞状细胞癌（LSCC）侵袭转移中的作用还知之甚少。

目的：探讨微RNA与LSCC侵袭转移的关系。

材料与方法：采用先前研究中建立的LSCC自发淋巴结转移动物模型, 获得高转移性喉癌细胞。通过进行微RNA表达建谱和生物信息学分析, 来分析高转移性喉癌细胞和亲本肿瘤细胞（HEP-2）中微RNA表达的变化。为了进一步验证微阵列的结果, 还进行了RT-PCR。

结果：与对照组相比, 高转移性喉癌细胞共有40个微RNA发生了显著改变。生物信息学分析发现19个关键的微RNA可能参与LSCC的发展。此外, RT-PCR证实, 在不同的喉癌细胞和人类肿瘤标本中, miR-25、miR-100、miR-125b-5p和let-7g的表达是不一样的。

结论和意义：我们的研究结果表明, 微RNA在LSCC的侵袭和转移中起着重要作用。该结果为研究微RNA的功能提供了线索, 也为分析促使LSCC发展的复杂的分子异常提供了机会。

Keywords:

• MicroRNA
• laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
• invasion and metastasis
• bioinformatic analysis

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 818MS154) and Primary Research & Developement Plan of Hainan Province (No. ZDYF2017076).