title: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition regulated by EphA2 contributes to vasculogenic mimicry formation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) was related to invasion and metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. This study was designed to investigate the role of EphA2 in VM formation of HNSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The SiRNA technique was used to knock down the expression of EphA2 in vitro. The ability of cell migration and invasion were measured by transwell and wound healing assays; three-dimensional culture was used to detect the ability of channel-like structure formation; Western blot was used to detect the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition- (EMT-) related molecules in vitro. Further semiquantitative real-time RT-PCR assays and immunohistochemistry were used to demonstrate expression of EphA2 and EMT-related molecules according to VM presence or not in human tissue.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Knocking down EphA2 in vitro leads to disabled channel-like structure formation, reduction of invasion and migration ability, and reverse of EMT-related markers. Both semiquantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that expressions of EphA2, Twist, and Vimentin were higher in the VM-positive group than in the VM-negative group significantly, while expressions of E-cadherin, claudin4, and DSG-3 were reverse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EphA2 played a key role in VM formation of HNSCC through regulation of EMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck, Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China ; Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck, Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China ; Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
authors.forename: Baocun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Shiwu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China ; Department of Pathology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Wenjuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Cancer Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300060, China.
authors.forename: Chunrong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck, Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck, Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, Tianjin First Central Hospital, Tianjin 300192, China.
authors.forename: Honghua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China.
authors.forename: Xiulan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D036104:Receptor, EphA2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D036104:Receptor, EphA2