title: Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha using RNA interference in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a disease with increased prevalence and unfavorable prognosis calling for development of novel therapeutic strategies. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine implicated in the development and progression of cancer. The present study was designed to assess the impact of TNF-α specific inhibition using small interference RNA (siRNA) in SSC-4 cells, a representative model for OSCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present study evaluated the effect of TNF-α inhibition using siRNA as inhibitory mechanism on SCC-4 cells. The study focused on the effect of TNF-α inhibition on apoptosis, autophagy and invasion in parallel with a panel of 20 genes involved in apoptosis and angiogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  TNF-α inhibition was related with reduction of cell viability, activation of apoptosis and autophagy in parallel with the inhibition of migration in SCC-4 cells. Evaluating the impact on gene expression levels, inhibition of FASL-FADD, NFκB, SEMA 3C, TNF-α, TGFB1, VEGFA, along with activation of PDGFB and SEMA 3D was observed. Our study confirms the important role of TNF-α and sustains that it might be a therapeutic target in OSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TNF-α is a key mediator of the immune system, with important role in OSCC tumorigenesis, and might be considered as a therapeutic target using siRNA technology, particularly for those risk cases having FASL/FADD overexpressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dental Prosthetics and Dental Materials, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iulia Irimie
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Braicu
authors.forename: Oana
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zanoaga
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pileczki
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Soritau
authors.forename: Ioana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Berindan-Neagoe
authors.forename: Radu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Septimiu Campian
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D001343:Autophagy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004843:Epistasis, Genetic; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D034622:RNA Interference; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha