PDPN⁺ CAFs facilitate the motility of OSCC cells by inhibiting ferroptosis via transferring exosomal lncRNA FTX.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are abundant and heterogeneous in tumor microenvironment (TME). Cross-talk between cancer cells and CAFs results in cancer progression. Here, we demonstrated that a distinct cancer-associated fibroblasts subset with podoplanin (PDPN) positive expression (PDPN⁺ CAFs) was correlated with poor survival in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). PDPN⁺ CAFs promoted the progression of OSCC by transferring exosomal lncRNA FTX to OSCC cells. Mechanically, FTX bound to flap endonuclease-1 (FEN1), forming an RNA‒protein complex. FTX enhanced promoter demethylation of FEN1 by recruiting ten-eleven translocation-2 (TET2). In addition, FTX/FEN1 axis promoted OSCC cells motility by inhibiting ferroptosis. In xenograft experiments, RSL-3, a ferropt

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10665425 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature