Pretreatment microRNA expression impacting on epithelial to mesenchymal transition predicts intrinsic radiosensitivity in head and neck cancer cell lines and patients [miRNA-seq]

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Predominant causes of head and neck cancer recurrence after radiotherapy are rapid repopulation, hypoxia, fraction of cancer stem cells and intrinsic radioresistance. Currently, intrinsic radioresistance can only be assessed by ex-vivo colony assays. Besides being time-consuming, colony assays do not identify causes of intrinsic resistance. We aimed to identify a biomarker for intrinsic radioresistance to be used before start of treatment and to reveal biological processes that could be targeted to overcome intrinsic resistance. Experimental design: We analyzed both micro- and messenger RNA expression in a large panel of HNSCC cell lines. Expression was measured on both irradiated and unirradiated samples. Results were validated using modified cell lines and a series of laryngeal cancer patients. Results: MiRs, mRNAs and gene sets that correlated with resistance could be identified from expression data of unirradiated cells. The presence of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and low expression of miRs involved in the inhibition of EMT were important radioresistance determinants. This finding was validated in two independent cell line pairs, in which the induction of EMT reduced radiosensitivity. Moreover, low expression of the most important miR (miR-203) was shown to correlate with local disease recurrence after radiotherapy in a series of laryngeal cancer patients. Conclusions: These findings indicate that EMT and low expression of EMT-inhibiting miRs, especially miR-203, measured in pre-treatment material, causes intrinsic radioresistance of HNSCC, which could enable identification and treatment modification of radioresistant tumors.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE79493 | GEO | 2016/03/23

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA315984

REPOSITORIES: GEO