Integrin α5/itga5 promotes the proliferation, migration, invasion and progression of oral squamous carcinoma by epithelial–mesenchymal transition

Abstract

Background: Integrin signalling is involved in cell migration, invasion, proliferation and motility. Integrin α5/ITGA5 is a subunit of Integrin and contributes to the activation of Integrin signalling. The potential role of Integrin α5/ITGA5 in oral squamous cancer remains unknown. The aim of this study was to uncover the effect and mechanism of Integrin α5/ ITGA5 in the progression of oral squamous carcinoma. Method: TCGA database scanning, qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry and Western blotting assays were used to detect the expression of Integrin α5/ITGA5 in tissues and cell lines. We established stable Integrin α5/ITGA5 overexpressing and Integrin α5/ITGA5 knockdown cell lines. We investigated the biological function and the underlying mechanism of Integrin α5/ ITGA5 through a series of experiments. Results: Integrin α5/ITGA5 was upregulated in cancer tissue, and its levels negatively correlated with the overall survival (OS) of patients. Integrin α5/ITGA5 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion in an oral squamous carcinoma cell line by EMT (epithelial– mesenchymal transition). Conclusion: Integrin α5/ITGA5 promotes the proliferation, migration and invasion of oral squamous carcinoma.