AKT3 Is a Novel Regulator of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play vital roles in tumor progression by promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression. In the present study, we sought to identify the key regulators of the pro-tumoral functions of CAFs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). mRNA expression data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that CAF-specific mRNA expression correlated with genes that relate to an immunosuppressive microenvironment in a HNSCC cohort. RNA sequencing of CAFs and normal fibroblasts isolated from HNSCC specimens identified 1127 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and several upregulated pathways in CAFs. Among the 1127 DEGs, we identified 13 immune function-related genes and focused on AKT3 as a potential regulator of CAF

SUBMITTER: Takahashi H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7998536 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature