NUTF2 Promotes Proliferation of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Through PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway.

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with a poor prognosis. Nuclear transport factor 2 (NUTF2) participates in nucleoprotein transport. However, the mechanism of NUTF2 in OSCC remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in which patients had not received preoperative chemoradiotherapy and all oral lesions were primary. We assessed the NUTF2 expression in OSCC patients' tissues by polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Immunohistochemical staining was performed based on 203 OSCC specimens to analyze the characteristics of NUTF2 expression. Furthermore, we studied the impact of NUTF2 on OSCC cells through a CCK-8, wound healing, transwell, and flow cytometry assays. The mechanism of NUTF2 was further investigated through western blot. The effect of NUTF2 on tumor growth was confirmed in vivo.

Results: NUTF2 was upregulated in OSCC tissues and related to the poor prognosis. The overexpression of NUTF2 promoted OSCC cell growth in CCK-8 and wound healing. Moreover, our results indicated that the AKT signaling pathway mediated the promoting role of NUTF2 in OSCC. These results were verified in subcutaneous neoplasia in vivo.

Conclusion: Our study highlights the promoting effect of NUTF2 on OSCC proliferation and suggests its potential as a therapeutic target for molecular therapy of OSCC.