ObjectiveRecent studies have revealed that the ability of cancer cells to undergo intermediate state of epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), partial EMT (p‐EMT), poses a higher metastatic risk rather than complete EMT. Here, we examined the prognostic value of p‐EMT‐related genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by bioinformatic approaches.Materials and methodsWe used RNA‐seq data of 519 primary HNSCC cases obtained from TCGA database. We compared the expression of p‐EMT‐related genes in HNSCC tissues with normal tissues. We evaluated the prognostic value of p‐EMT‐related genes in HNSCC cases by log‐rank test. We examined the expression of p‐EMT‐, EMT‐, and epithelial differentiation‐related genes by qPCR.ResultsAmong p‐EMT‐related genes that were highly expressed in HNSCC cases, high expression of SERPINE1, ITGA5, TGFBI, P4HA2, CDH13, and LAMC2 was significantly correlated with poor survival of HNSCC patients. By gene expression pattern, HNSCC cell lines were classified into three groups: epithelial phenotype, EMT phenotype, and p‐EMT phenotype.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that p‐EMT program may be involved in poor prognosis of HNSCC. SERPINE1, ITGA5, TGFBI, P4HA2, CDH13, and LAMC2 can be used for a prognostic marker. Moreover, HNSCC cells with p‐EMT phenotype can be a useful model for investigating a nature of p‐EMT.

The ability of cancer cells to undergo partial-epithelial mesenchymal transition (p-EMT), rather than complete EMT, poses a higher metastatic risk. Although Fusobacterium nucleatum mainly inhabits in oral cavity, attention has been focused on the F. nucleatum involvement in colorectal cancer development. Here we examined the p-EMT regulation by F. nucleatum in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. We cultured OSCC cells with epithelial, p-EMT or EMT phenotype with live or heat-inactivated F. nucleatum. Expression of the genes involved in epithelial differentiation, p-EMT and EMT were examined in OSCC cells after co-culture with F. nucleatum by qPCR. Cell growth and invasion of OSCC cells were also examined. Both live and heat-inactivated F. nucleatum upregulated the expression of p-EMT-related genes in OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype, but not with p-EMT or EMT phenotype. Moreover, F. nucleatum promoted invasion of OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype. Co-culture with other strains of bacteria other than Porphyromonas gingivalis did not alter p-EMT-related genes in OSCC cells with epithelial phenotype. F. nucleatum infection may convert epithelial to p-EMT phenotype via altering gene expression in OSCC. Oral hygiene managements against F. nucleatum infection may contribute to reduce the risk for an increase in metastatic ability of OSCC.

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