SPINK6 Promotes Metastasis of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma via Binding and Activation of Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor.

ABSTRACT: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma has the highest rate of metastasis among head and neck cancers, and distant metastasis is the major reason for treatment failure. The underlying molecular mechanisms of nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis are not fully understood. Here, we report the identification of serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 6 (SPINK6) as a functional regulator of nasopharyngeal carcinoma metastasis via EGFR signaling. SPINK6 mRNA was upregulated in tumor and highly metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Immunohistochemical staining of 534 nasopharyngeal carcinomas revealed elevated SPINK6 expression as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for overall, disease-free, and distant metastasis-free survival. Ectopic SPINK6 expression promoted in vitro migration and invasion as w

SUBMITTER: Zheng LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6988090 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature