Exploring serine-arginine rich splicing factors: potential predictive markers for dysregulation in oral cancer
Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Dysregulated splicing events are a common phenomenon in cancer with the Serine-arginine-rich splicing factor (SRSF) family emerging as pivotal regulators of gene expression, exerting influence over constitutive and alternative splicing processes. Although aberrations in a few SRSF family members have been implicated in various cancers, the comprehensive roles of other family constituents remain underexplored. METHODS: This study delves into the expression profile of the entire SRSF family (SRSF1-SRSF12) in 23 cancerous cell lines originating from diverse tissues using quantitative Real-Time PCR. Further, the transcript levels of the SRSF family were examined in oral cancer patient samples stratified into Pre-cancer (n = 15), Early cancer (n = 11), Late cancer (n = 14), and adjacent non-tumor tissues (n = 26) as controls. The results were corroborated by a parallel investigation utilizing the transcriptomics data of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients (n = 319) and controls (n = 35) available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. RESULTS: Our investigation reveals a notable upregulation in the expression levels of key splicing factors, namely SRSF3, SRSF9, and SRSF10 in all oral cancer cell lines (SCC-4, UM-SCC-84, CAL33, SAS-H1). Conversely, no significant associations between SRSF family members and other cancer cell lines were discerned. Further, the expression profile of the SRSF family in oral cancer patient samples revealed significant upregulation of SRSF1, SRSF3, SRSF7, SRSF9, SRSF10, and SRSF11 in patients with late-stage oral cancer compared to controls. Transcriptomics data from TCGA database demonstrated remarkable upregulation of SRSF1, SRSF4, SRSF9, SRSF10, and SRSF11 in OSCC patients. CONCLUSION: Collectively our results underscore the critical involvement of SRSF family members in the context of oral cancer, highlighting their potential as key players in the altered splicing dynamics associated with cancer progression.
Source: BMC Cancer
Authors: Sakshi Sharma, Manasi Mittal, Akanksha Shukla, Jiyauddin Khan, Veronique Dinand, Daman Saluja
Institutions: University of Delhi, Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children
Language: English
Topic: RNA Research and Splicing
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,190
Funders: Human Resource Development Centre, Council of Scientific And Industrial Research, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India, University Grants Commission, University of Delhi, Science and Engineering Research Board, Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, Defence Research and Development Organisation
OpenAlex ID: W4402193619