PDGF-D/PDGFRβ promotes tongue squamous carcinoma cell (TSCC) progression via activating p38/AKT/ERK/EMT signal pathway.

Platelet-derived growth factor D (PDGF-D) signaling plays significant roles during the development and progression of human malignancies via interacting with the receptor of PDGF-D (PDGFR). Meanwhile, the majority of human tumor metastasis is closely associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the underlying mechanism between PDGF-D/PDGFR signaling and EMT which involved in tumor metastasis remain dismal. This study aimed to investigate the role of PDGF-D signaling during EMT process of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). In our study, the expression of PDGF-D and PDGFR were examined in primary TSCC samples and the expression of PDGF-D was also determined in TSCC cell lines. In addition, the correlation between PDGF-D expression and TSCC aggressive histopathological features was analyzed. Our results implied that upregulation of PDGFRβ in UM1 cells induced with exogenous PDGF-D can remarkably promote tumor cells invasiveness; conversely, when using small interfering RNA (siRNA), the invasiveness can be severely prohibited. Furthermore, PDGF-D downstream signal molecules p38, AKT, ERK and EMT biomarkers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin and snail) were measured using Western blot. Our results showed that PDGF-D can induce p38, AKT and ERK phosphorylation; downregulate epithelial markers and upregulate mesenchymal markers. On the contrary, PDGFRβ siRNA significantly prohibited p38, AKT and ERK phosphorylation; inhibited EMT process. Function analysis revealed that PDGFRβ siRNA obviously interfered with UM1 cell migration and invasion, according to transwell and wound healing assay. In conclusion, this study suggested that EMT process can be triggered by the PDGF-D/PDGFRβ axis in TSCC, and then involved in the tumor cell invasion via activation of p38/AKT/ERK/EMT pathway.

Zhang H ，Sun JD ，Yan LJ ，Zhao XP ... -  《-》

FGF1-FGFR1 axis promotes tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Jiao J ，Zhao X ，Liang Y ，Tang D ，Pan C ... -  《-》

Overexpression of HMGA2 promotes tongue cancer metastasis through EMT pathway.

Zhao XP ，Zhang H ，Jiao JY ，Tang DX ，Wu YL ，Pan CB ... -  《Journal of Translational Medicine》

FoxM1 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and migration of tongue squamous cell carcinoma cells through a c-Met/AKT-dependent positive feedback loop.

Yang H ，Wen L ，Wen M ，Liu T ，Zhao L ，Wu B ，Yun Y ，Liu W ，Wang H ，Wang Y ，Wen N ... -  《-》

CXCR4 Signaling Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by PI3K/AKT and ERK Pathways in Glioblastoma.

Lv B ，Yang X ，Lv S ，Wang L ，Fan K ，Shi R ，Wang F ，Song H ，Ma X ，Tan X ，Xu K ，Xie J ，Wang G ，Feng M ，Zhang L ... -  《-》