Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput ScreeningCombinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput ScreeningCombinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening1386-20731875-5402Bentham Science64374910.2174/1386207326666230328123223ChemistryResearch ArticleThe Potential of Lipid Droplet-associated Genes as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaBaiYu-Tinginfo@benthamscience.netWangXininfo@benthamscience.netHeMing-Jinginfo@benthamscience.netXieJi-Ronginfo@benthamscience.netChenXiao-Jieinfo@benthamscience.netZhouGanginfo@benthamscience.netThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) and Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University0101202427113614707012025Copyright ©; 2024, Bentham Science Publishers2024Bentham Science Publishershttps://rjpbr.com/1386-2073/article/view/643749

Objective:The role of lipid droplets (LDs) and lipid droplet-associated genes (LD-AGs) remains unclear in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This study aimed to investigate LDs in HNSCC and identify LD-AGs essential for the diagnosis and prognosis of HNSCC patients.

Methods:The LDs in the HNSCC and normal cell lines were stained with oil red O. Bioinformatic analysis was used to find LD-AGs in HNSCC that had diagnostic and prognostic significance.

Results:LDs accumulation was increased in HNSCC cell lines compared with normal cell lines (P(<0.05). Fifty-three differentially expressed genes, including 34 upregulated and 19 downregulated, were found in HNSCC based on the TCGA platform (P(<0.05). Then, 53 genes were proved to be functionally enriched in lipid metabolism and LDs. Among them, with an AUC value > 0.7, 34 genes demonstrated a high predictive power. Six genes (AUP1, CAV1, CAV2, CAVIN1, HILPDA, and SQLE) out of 34 diagnostic genes were linked to overall survival in patients with HNSCC (P(<0.05). The significant prognostic factors AUP1, CAV1, CAV2, and SQLE were further identified using the univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazard models (P(<0.05). The protein expression of CAV2 and SQLE was significantly increased in the HNSCC tissue compared to normal tissues (P(<0.05). Finally, the knockdown of the four LD-AGs decreased LDs accumulation, respectively.

Conclusions:Increased LDs accumulation was a hallmark of HNSCC, and AUP1, CAV1, CAV2, and SQLE were discovered as differentially expressed LD-AGs with diagnostic and prognostic potential in HNSCC.

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