Chloride Intracellular Channel 1 CLIC1 as a potential biomarker to predict the aggressiveness and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma via integrins ERK pathways

Abstract

CLIC1 is expressed in various benign and malignant human tumours. newlineIt is been studied in several malignancies, such as human breast ductal carcinoma, newlinegastric cancer, gallbladder metastasis, colorectal cancer, nasopharyngeal newlinecarcinoma, ovarian cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and high-grade gliomas. It is newlinebelieved that elevated expression of CLIC1 can modulate anti-apoptosis signalling newlineand cell division, resulting in cellular transformation. newlineAim and Objectives: To study the role of CLIC1 on the aggressiveness and newlineprogression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) through ITGand#946;/ERK signaling newlinemechanisms newlineMaterials and Methods: A total of 74 samples were collected out of which 64 were newlineOSCC fresh tissue samples and blood samples and 10 were healthy control newlinesamples were collected. mRNA expression of CLIC1, MMP2, ITG-B1, caspase 3 newlinewas assessed using Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction and protein expression newlineof CLIC1, vimentin and caspase 3 was assessed using western blot analysis. ELISA newlineexpression of CLIC1 and MMP9 was done for serum samples. The data was newlinecompiled in Microsoft Excel 2010 and statistics was done using SPSS 20. Plt0.05 newlinewas considered to be statistically significant newline9 newlineResults: We observed a significant upregulation of CLIC1 in OSCC tissue samples. newlineSignificant correlation of CLIC1 expression with other molecular markers such as newlineITG-B1, MMP2 and caspase 3 was observed. CLIC1 upregulation was associated newlinewith upregulation of ITG-B1 and MMP2 and downregulation of caspase 3. Higher newlineexpression of CLIC1 was seen in patients with stage IV OSCC, lymphovascular and newlineperineural invasion. Increased serum level expression of CLIC1, MMP9 was newlineobserved in patients with OSCC. newlineConclusion: Thus CLIC1 could be a possible tumor marker and a therapeutic target newlinefor OSCC. CLIC1 can also be a potential biomarker to predict the biological newlinebehavior of OSCC thereby aiding in patient categorization for treatment newline