High expression of CD9 and Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor promotes the development of tongue cancer

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) Vol. 41; no. 4; p. 86
• Main Authors: Suhasini, P. C., Bhat, Vadisha, Shetty, Shilpa S, Shetty, Praveen Kumar, Roopashree, P. G., Kumari, N. Suchetha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 12.03.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alcoholism; Cancer; Cell Line, Tumor; Chemotherapy; Epidermal growth factor; Epidermal Growth Factor - metabolism; ErbB Receptors - genetics; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Oncology; Oral cancer; Original Paper; Pathology; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Tetraspanin 29; Tongue Neoplasms; CD9; Hypoxia; Tongue cancer; Akt; EFGR
• ISSN: 1559-131X; 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02311-x

Tongue cancer is distinguished by aggressive behavior, a high risk of recurrence, lymph, and distant metastases. Hypoxia-Induced Factor 1 α functions as a CD9 transcription factor. CD9 is a transmembrane protein that may be found on the cell membrane. It can modulate the expression of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) pathway. ELISA was used to measure serum CD9, p-EGFR, and p-Akt levels in 70 tongue cancer patients and 35 healthy controls. RT-PCR was used to analyze the gene expression of the related genes. The gene as well as protein expression of CD9, EGFR /p-EGFR, and Akt /p-Akt was significantly higher in case subjects when compared with the controls. The expression of CD9 was higher in case subjects who were smokers/alcoholics when to control subjects who were smokers/alcoholics. Overexpression of CD9 due to hypoxic conditions leads to the activation of EGFR-signaling pathway resulting in cancer progression, resistance to chemotherapy. Hence, CD9 could be a potential target to suppress cancer progression.