Biological function analysis of miR-15b-5p promoting head and neck tumor development by targeting UGT1A7

Abstract

Abstract Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignant tumor. MicroRNA function and expression abnormalities are closely related to tumor development. Nevertheless, the role of miR-15b-5p in HNSCC remains indistinct. Therefore, we used a bioinformatic analysis approach to study the mechanism and action of miR-15b-5p in HNSCC. Results: MiR-15b-5p was overexpressed in HNSCC cells and its expression levels was closely associated with gender, age, N stage and T stage in patients with HNSCC; the expression of miR-15b-5p in N1- 4 stages were higher than in N0 stage, and in T3- 4 stages than in T1-2 stages. (P < 0.05). Enrichment analysis showed that miR-15b-5p may participate in HNSCC by regulating the retinol metabolism pathway. RDH12 and UGT1A7 were expressed at low levels in HNSCC, with the Spearman’s analysis demonstrating that RDH12 expression was inversely proportional to miR-15b-5p, whereas UGT1A7 expression was directly proportional to miR-15b-5p (P<0.05). The methylation levels of UGT1A10 and UGT1A7 in HNSCC were appreciably lower than those in the control, and the disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with high UGT1A7 expression were appreciably longer than those with low expression (P<0.05, HR=0.71). High UGT1A7 expression is a favorable factor for good DFS prognosis in HNSCC. Conclusion: MiR-15b-5p may regulate the retinol metabolism pathway by targeting UGT1A7, thereby affecting HNSCC prognosis. Our results suggest miR-15b-5p may be a novel biomarker to predict the disease progression and prognosis in patients with HNSCC and could provide a theoretical foundation for targeted therapy of HNSCC.