Differentiated embryo chondrocyte 1, induced by hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, promotes cell migration in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between differentiated embryo chondrocyte 1 (DEC1) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and how they participate in tumor progression.

Study design: An immunohistochemical staining method was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and DEC1 in 64 OSCC specimens, and the correlation between HIF-1α and DEC1 was analyzed. The expression of HIF-1α and DEC1 in OSCC cells under normoxic and hypoxic environments was assessed and analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Furthermore, the DEC1 gene was silenced by siRNA and treated with cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) to analyze the effects that DEC1 and hypoxia might have on the migration ability of OSCC cells.

Results: The expression of HIF-1α and DEC1 in OSCC was positively correlated. Using CoCl₂ to simulate a hypoxic environment increased the protein levels of HIF-1α and DEC1 in OSCC cells. The HIF-1α inhibitor LW6 decreased HIF-1α and DEC1 expression in OSCC cells in a hypoxic environment. Silencing the DEC1 gene reduced the migration ability of OSCC cells.

Conclusion: The hypoxic environment in OSCC could upregulate the expression of DEC1 by increasing the protein level of HIF-1α, and this process might be involved in the migration of tumor cells.