The Prognostic Signature and Potential Target Genes of Six Long Non-coding RNA in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) may act as the carcinogenic factor or tumor suppressor of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). This study aims to identify the prognostic value and potential target protein-coding genes (PCGs) of lncRNAs in LSCC. The LSCC datasets were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Statistical and bioinformatic methods were used to establish and evaluate the prognostic model, identify the correlation between lncRNAs and clinical characteristics, and screen for PCGs co-expressed with lncRNAs. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified PCG modules associated with clinical characteristics. The expression of lncRNAs and PCGs was analyzed using our LSCC patients by RT-qPCR. LINC02154, LINC00528, SPRY4-AS1, TTTY14, LNCSRLR, and KLHL7-DT were selected to establish the prognostic model. The overall survival (OS) of low-risk patients forecasted by the model was significantly better than high-risk patients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and concordance index (C-index) validated the accuracy of the prognostic model. Chi-square test showed that six lncRNAs were associated with one of the clinical characteristics, i.e., gender, clinical stage, T and N stage, respectively. WGCNA identified PCG modules associated with gender, clinical stage, T and N stage. We took the intersection of the PCG modules of WGCNA, the differentially expressed PCGs between LSCC and normal samples, and the PCGs co-expressed with six lncRNAs. The intersection PCGs survival analysis showed that four PCGs, i.e., STC2, TSPAN9, SMS, and TCEA3 affected the OS of LSCC. More importantly, the differential expression of six lncRNAs and four PCGs between LSCC and normal samples was verified by our LSCC patients. In conclusion, we successfully established a prognostic model based on six-lncRNA RiskScore and initially screened the potential target PCGs of six lncRNAs for further basic and clinical research.

The Expression and Effection of MicroRNA-499a in High-Tobacco Exposed Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Bioinformatic Analysis.

Background: Few studies have directly investigated the differential expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with low, medium, and high tobacco exposure. The purpose of this study is to screen the differentially expressed miRNAs and to investigate their clinical significance and potential biological mechanisms in the three groups of HNSCC. Methods: The datasets of HNSCC were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The edgeR package was used to determine differentially expressed miRNAs and genes among the three groups of HNSCC. Statistical methods were applied to assess the clinical significance of miRNA and its correlation with genes. The correlation between gene expression and clinical characteristics was analyzed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Three online databases were used to predict the target genes of miRNAs. More importantly, qRT-PCR was employed to verify the differential expression of miRNAs and genes in our patients. Results: 32 differentially expressed miRNAs and 1,820 differentially expressed genes were found among the three groups of HNSCC. Patients with high expression of hsa-miR-499a had lower overall survival than the ones with low expression in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. Cox regression analysis found that high expression of hsa-miR-499a and female were independent risk factors for prognosis in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. Chi-square test found that hsa-miR-499a was associated with N stage in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. WGCNA identified four gene modules associated with N stage in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. Then three online databases were used to predict potential target genes for hsa-miR-499a, which were AEBP2 and ZNRF1. Pearson correlation analysis showed that hsa-miR-499a was negatively correlated with AEBP2 and ZNRF1. qRT-PCR supported bioinformatic results that hsa-miR-499a, AEBP2, and ZNRF1 were differentially expressed among the three groups of HNSCC in our patients. Conclusion: 32 differentially expressed miRNAs and 1,820 differentially expressed genes were successfully identified in HNSCC with low, medium, and high tobacco exposure. The patients with high expression of hsa-miR-499a had poor prognoses compared with patients with low expression in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. Hsa-miR-499a was associated with N stage in high-tobacco exposed HNSCC. AEBP2 and ZNRF1 were the potential target genes of hsa-miR-499a.

Aurora kinase A induces chemotherapy resistance through revival of dormant cells in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy resistance was an important tumor metastasis mechanism. METHODS: Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and plate colony formation assay were applied to examine the proliferation of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Immunofluorescent staining and Western blotting were carried out to show the expression of related proteins. Wound healing, migration, and invasion assays were used to examine the mobility, migration, and invasion of LSCC. RESULTS: Downregulated Aurora kinase A (AURKA) increased chemotherapy sensitivity and reduced the ability of mobility, migration, and invasion of Hep2 cells, while upregulated AURKA possessed opposite results. Hep2/5-Fu cells possessed dormancy-like properties and upregulated AURKA in Hep2/5-Fu cells (Hep2/5-Fu/AURKA cells) revived dormant state. Furthermore, Erk1/2 was restrained in Hep2/5-Fu cells and activated in Hep2/5-Fu/AURKA cells. Moreover, Erk1/2 accelerated the ability of mobility, migration, and invasion in Hep2/5-Fu/AURKA cells. CONCLUSION: AURKA activated dormant state to induce chemotherapy resistance and promoted metastasis of LSCC through Erk1/2 pathway.

Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy versus conventional curettage adenoidectomy: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Adenoidectomy, surgical removal of hypertrophic adenoids, is a common operation in children worldwide. The purpose of this study was to compare the operative effectiveness, and included total operative time, blood loss and complications, between endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy and conventional curettage adenoidectomy. EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure and symposiums and review articles were used to choose relevant randomized controlled trials. A meta-analysis was performed to analyze the data for total operative time, blood loss and complications. Seven studies fit the inclusion criteria, and included 331 patients treated with endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy, and 251 patients treated with conventional curettage adenoidectomy. The meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with conventional curettage adenoidectomy, endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy had a shorter operative time (SMD -1.09; 95 % CI -1.29 to -0.90; p < 0.00001), less blood loss (MD -19.74; 95 % CI -22.75 to -16.73; p < 0.00001), and fewer complications (OR 0.15; 95 % CI 0.07-0.35; p < 0.0001). Endoscopic assisted adenoidectomy has advantages over conventional curettage adenoidectomy with regard to total operative time, blood loss and complications.

AURKA promotes cell migration and invasion of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through regulation of the AURKA/Akt/FAK signaling pathway.

The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Aurora kinase A (AURKA) promotes cell migration and invasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Transwell assays were performed to investigate the cell migration and invasion abilities of AURKA, whilst western blotting was used to analyze the protein expression in FaDu and Hep2 cells, each treated with pharmacological inhibitors. Following the inhibition of AURKA, Akt and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), the migration and invasion of the FaDu and Hep2 cells decreased. The expression of phosphorylated (p)-AURKA and p-FAK (Y397) was observed to decrease following FaDu and Hep2 cell treatment with VX-680, a small molecular inhibitor of AURKA. The expression of p-Akt and p-FAK (Y397) ceased following treatment with the Akt inhibitor triciribine. The expression of p-FAK (Y397) decreased, however, p-Akt expression did not change following treatment with the FAK inhibitor TAE226. In conclusion, AURKA activates FAK through the AURKA/Akt/FAK signaling pathway, promoting the migration and invasion of HNSCC cells, which may subsequently provide a novel approach for the treatment of HNSCC.

Novel modified surgical treatment of auricular pseudocyst using plastic sheet compression.

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a novel modified surgical procedure of excision of anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression for the treatment of auricular pseudocyst and ascertain the effect of the surgical modality of this disease. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. SETTING: Medical college hospital. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eighty-seven auricular pseudocyst patients were subjected to excision of the anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst followed by plastic sheet compression from July 2006 to September 2013. The effects of the operation were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty patients were males and 7 were females. The median age was 52 years old. The lesions of 86 patients were unilateral and only 1 was bilateral. The clinical features presented a hemispheric painless swelling, which was seen on the ventral side of the auricle, usually the scaphoid and triangular fossa. The average major axis of the pseudocyst was 1.7 ± 0.6 cm. The patients underwent excision of anterior cartilage of the pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression. The average follow-up period was 51.9 ± 19.1 months. No recurrence was observed with this technique, and the appearance of the auricle was cosmetically acceptable. CONCLUSIONS: Our novel modified surgical procedure of excision of anterior cartilage of pseudocyst along with plastic sheet compression is an effective surgical management for the auricular pseudocyst. The advantages of a simple technique, a short-term therapeutic period, and no recurrence made the surgical procedure worth recommending as the definitive treatment of auricular pseudocysts.