Research On The Regulatory Role And Clinical Significance Of Long Non-coding RNA HOXB-AS4 In Head And Neck Squamous Carcinoma

Objective:Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC)is the seventh most prevalent malignant tumor globally.Its aggressive behavior,high invasiveness,and propensity for lymphatic metastasis lead to poor patient prognosis.Long non-coding RNA(lnc RNA)has emerged as a crucial regulator in tumor initiation and progression.Nevertheless,their specific expression patterns,functional roles,and underlying mechanisms in HNSCC still need to be explored.This study aims to investigate the expression levels and clinical significance of lnc RNA HOXB-AS4 in HNSCC by employing public databases,molecular and cellular functional experiments,and bioinformatics analyses.Moreover,the biological functions of HOXB-AS4 in HNSCC cells will be elucidated,along with a comprehensive analysis of its potential molecular mechanisms.Methods:Initially,the expression profile of HOXB-AS4 across various human tumors will be analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.Subsequently,We will evaluate HOXB-AS4 expression in HNSCC tissues,adjacent normal tissues,and paired adjacent tissues and correlate its expression with clinical-pathological parameters and patient prognosis.Real-time quantitative PCR(q RT-PCR)will be employed to determine the expression levels of HOXB-AS4 in human diploid lung cells(2BS),immortalized keratinocyte cells(Ha Ca T),and HNSCC cell lines(AMC-HN-8,CAL-27,Detroit 562,Fa Du,FD-LSC-1,and WSU-HN30).We will utilize RNA interference techniques to knock down HOXB-AS4 in HNSCC cell lines and evaluate subsequent phenotypic changes,including proliferation,migration,and invasion,using CCK-8 and Transwell assays.We will perform bioinformatics analysis to identify differentially expressed micro RNA(mi RNA)and messenger RNA(m RNA)in HNSCC,constructing a comprehensive competing endogenous RNA(ce RNA)regulatory network centered around HOXB-AS4.Additionally,we will conduct Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses to annotate the potential target m RNA of HOXB-AS4 and elucidate their involvement in relevant biological processes and signaling pathways.Results:TCGA transcriptome sequencing data analysis revealed variable expression patterns of HOXB-AS4 across 33 different human tumors,with significant upregulation observed specifically in HNSCC tissues.Kaplan-Meier estimator demonstrated a negative correlation between HOXB-AS4 expression levels and HNSCC patient prognosis.Clinical correlation analysis revealed elevated HOXB-AS4 expression in advanced-stage HNSCC patients,positively associated with tumor dedifferentiation.q RT-PCR results indicated higher expression levels of HOXB-AS4 in HNSCC cells compared to normal control cells.Functional studies demonstrated that HOXB-AS4 knockdown inhibited HNSCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion.The ce RNA regulatory network centered around HOXB-AS4 comprised six downregulated mi RNA nodes and 412 upregulated m RNA nodes.GO and KEGG enrichment analyses suggested that HOXB-AS4 may modulate 20 tumorassociated biological processes and signaling pathways,thereby exerting oncogenic functions in HNSCC.Conclusion:The long non-coding RNA HOXB-AS4 exhibits significant upregulation in HNSCC and functions as an oncogene by promoting tumor cell proliferation,migration,and invasion,ultimately impacting patient prognosis.This study proposes HOXB-AS4 as a potential candidate biomarker for HNSCC diagnosis and prognostic assessment,providing novel insights and foundational data for the diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.