Exploring stage‑specific embryonic antigen 3 involvement in oral cancer progression and as a potential target for taxane‑based chemotherapy

Ide,Kentaro; Kawano,Toshihiro; Shirakawa,Jumpei; Ntege,Edward Hosea; Miyamoto,Sho; Ikegami,Taro; Sunami,Hiroshi; Suzuki,Mikio; Shimizu,Yusuke; Nakamura,Hiroyuki

doi:10.3892/or.2023.8619

Exploring stage‑specific embryonic antigen 3 involvement in oral cancer progression and as a potential target for taxane‑based chemotherapy

Authors:
- Kentaro Ide
- Toshihiro Kawano
- Jumpei Shirakawa
- Edward Hosea Ntege
- Sho Miyamoto
- Taro Ikegami
- Hiroshi Sunami
- Mikio Suzuki
- Yusuke Shimizu
- Hiroyuki Nakamura
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Affiliations: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of The Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903‑0215, Japan, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of The Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903‑0215, Japan, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903‑0215, Japan, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of The Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903‑0215, Japan, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, University of The Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903‑0215, Japan
Published online on: August 22, 2023 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2023.8619
Article Number: 182
Copyright: © Ide et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Despite significant advancements in therapeutic approaches, oral neoplasms remain formidable and life‑threatening conditions that affect a substantial number of individuals worldwide. Within oral malignancies, a subset of cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent a crucial population responsible for tumor initiation and progression. The identification of reliable markers for the detection and characterization of CSCs in solid tumors, particularly in the context of oral cancers, remains an ongoing challenge. Stage‑specific embryonic antigen 3 (SSEA3), previously associated with mesenchymal stem cells and linked to the progression of breast neoplasms and poor prognosis, has yet to be comprehensively elucidated in the context of oral malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate the expression and properties of SSEA3 in 16 distinct subsets of human oral neoplastic cell lines, classified as either CD44 positive (+) or CD44 negative (‑). For the first time, SSEA3 was examined as an indicator of tumorigenicity and resistance to taxane‑derived chemotherapeutic agents. In the majority of oral neoplastic cell lines analyzed, SSEA3 was expressed in a small population of CD44(+) cells. Significantly, SSEA3(+) cells exhibited heightened proliferative activity and upregulated expression of genes associated with stem cells compared with SSEA3(‑) cells. The aforementioned findings suggested that SSEA3 may contribute to the evolution and progression of oral malignancies by fostering tumor growth. Furthermore, SSEA3(+) cells displayed increased sensitivity to taxane‑based pharmaceuticals, indicating the potential for SSEA3 to be a viable target in the treatment schema for oral cavity neoplasms. In conclusion, the present study provides novel insight into the role of SSEA3 in the progression and management of oral neoplasms, potentially paving the way for more effective therapeutic approaches.

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