Moderate SCRIB Expression Levels Correlate with Worse Prognosis in OPSCC Patients Regardless of HPV Status

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Lucija Lulić
• Author: Ivana Šimić
• Author: Ksenija Božinović
• Author: Ena Pešut
• Author: Luka Manojlović
• Author: Magdalena Grce
• Author: Emil Dediol
• Author: Ivan Sabol
• Author: Vjekoslav Tomaić
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Dentistry)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Surgery

Abstract (english)

Head and neck cancers rank as the sixth most prevalent cancers globally. In addition to traditional risk factors such as smoking and alcohol use, human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are becoming a significant causative agent of head and neck cancers, particularly among Western populations. Although HPV offers a significant survival benefit, the search for better biomarkers is still ongoing. In the current study, our objective was to investigate whether the expression levels of three PDZ-domain-containing proteins (SCRIB, NHERF2, and DLG1), known HPV E6 cellular substrates, influence the survival of HNSCC patients treated by primary surgery (n = 48). Samples were derived from oropharyngeal and oral cancers, and HPV presence was confirmed by PCR and p16 staining. Clinical and follow-up information was obtained from the hospital database and the Croatian Cancer registry up to November 2023. Survival was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression. The results were corroborated through the reanalysis of a comparable subset of TCGA cancer patients (n = 391). In conclusion, of the three targets studied, only SCRIB levels were found to be an independent predictor of survival in the Cox regression analysis, along with tumor stage. Further studies in a more typical Western population setting are needed since smoking and alcohol consumption are still prominent in the Croatian population, while the strongest association between survival and SCRIB levels was seen in HPV-negative cases.

• Keywords (english): Adult; Aged; Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms / genetics; Head and Neck Neoplasms / metabolism; Head and Neck Neoplasms / virology; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Membrane Proteins / genetics; Membrane Proteins / metabolism; Middle Aged; Papillomaviridae / genetics; Papillomavirus Infections / complications; Papillomavirus Infections / virology; Prognosis; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / genetics; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / metabolism; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck / virology; Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics; Tumor Suppressor Proteins / metabolism
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Cells
• Numbering: vol. 13, no. 12, 1002
• e-ISSN: 2073-4409
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13121002
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:572676
• Publication: 2024-06-08
• Project: Number: IP-2013-11-4758; Title (croatian): Epigenetičke promjene karcinoma pločastih stanica glave i vrata; Title (english): Epigenetic changes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; Acronym: EpiC-HNSCC; Leader: Magdalena Grce; Jurisdiction: Croatia; Funding stream: Research Projects
• Document URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4409/13/12/1002
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2025-01-22 13:08:11