In vitro induction role of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cell lines of oral squamous cell carcinoma biological behavior

• Grant number: 17/26567-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry
• Principal Investigator: Camila de Oliveira Rodini Pegoraro
• Grantee: Gabriele Gomes de Gois
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/07245-9 - Investigation of the role of cancer stem cells and microenvironment on epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, invasion and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma, AP.JP

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignant tumor of the Head and Neck, and the worst prognosis is the presence of lymph node metastasis. To metastasize, tumor cells must be able to invade the underlying tissues by means of activation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). During EMT, tumor cells alter their epithelial characteristics and acquire an invasive phenotype (mesenchymal), through the activation of different signaling pathways (adhesion, migration, motility and morphogenesis; differentiation, development, growth, proliferation, signal transduction and transcription factors), as well as cadherin switching (loss of E-cadherin and gain of N-cadherin). These events promote the dissociation of tumor cells due to loss of cell-cell adhesion, being considered as key events of EMT during oral carcinogenesis. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the effect of EMT, induced in vitro with transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB), on OSCC cell lines with different biological profile (SCC-9 e SCC-9 LN-1). Viability and proliferation assays as well as gene expression analysis of 84 markers of EMT (PCRArray), and validation at protein level (Western Blot) of differentially expressed molecules will be performed. Finally, we aim to provide better perspectives on the understanding of the process of EMT on oral carcinogenesis as well as characterize different cell phenotypes associated with OSCC progression. (AU)