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The RNA-Binding Protein SMN as a Novel Player in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

2023; Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute; Volume: 24; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.3390/ijms24021794

1661-6596

Francesca Gabanella, Andrea Colizza, Maria Chiara Mottola, Silvia Francati, Giovanna Blaconà, Carla Petrella, Christian Barbato, Antonio Greco, Massimo Ralli, Marco Fiore, Nicoletta Corbi, Giampiero Ferraguti, Alessandro Corsi, Antonio Minni, Marco de Vincentiis, Claudio Passananti, Maria Grazia Di Certo,

RNA modifications and cancer

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) arises from the mucosal epithelium in the oral cavity, pharynx, sino-nasal region, and larynx. Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) represents one-third of all head and neck cancers. Dysregulated RNA-related pathways define an important molecular signature in this aggressive carcinoma. The Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein regulates fundamental aspects of the RNA metabolism but, curiously, its role in cancer is virtually unknown. For the first time, here, we focus on the SMN in the cancer context. We conducted a pilot study in a total of 20 patients with LSCC where the SMN was found overexpressed at both the protein and transcript levels. By a cellular model of human laryngeal carcinoma, we demonstrated that the SMN impacts cancer-relevant behaviors and perturbs key players of cell migration, invasion, and adhesion. Furthermore, in LSCC we showed a physical interaction between the SMN and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), whose overexpression is an important feature in these tumors. This study proposes the SMN protein as a novel therapeutic target in LSSC and likely in the whole spectrum of HNSCC. Overall, we provide the first analysis of the SMN in human cancer.