Up-regulation of stromal cell-derived factor-1α and its receptor CXCR4 expression accompanied with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human oral squamous cell carcinoma
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- Published online on: April 1, 2008 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.19.4.993
- Pages: 993-998
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Abstract
Stromal cell-derived factor 1α (SDF-1α) and its receptor CXCR4 have been implicated in the tumorigenesis, proliferation, and lymph node metastasis of cancer. Here, we report that highly invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells with a spindle cell morphology show a strong expression of both SDF-1α and CXCR4. CXCR4 expression and cell migratory activity were further up-regulated by treatment with SDF-1α or TGF-β1 in these cells. When epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was induced by Snail over-expression in SCC cells with an epithelial phenotype, an increased expression of SDF-1α was observed. Furthermore, SDF-1α and TGF-β1 up-regulated the expression of CXCR4 and cell migratory activity in these cells. These results indicate that SDF-1α and CXCR4 expressions are possible markers of highly-invasive SCC and regulated by EMT.
