Methods: Differentially expressed genes were selected from different metastatic potential OSCC cell lines by microarray previously. Real-time PCR was used to quantitatively analyze 9 target genes including genes in NF-kappa B signal pathway in lower metastatic OSCC cell line Tca8113 and paired higher metastatic Tb cell line.The NF-kappa B activities were ditermined by western blot, luciferase reporter assay and EMSAanalysis in vitro.
Results:Six genes from nine genes were highly expressed in higher metastatic Tb cell line, one gene was significantly down-regulated, and two genes had no significant different between Tb and Tca8113 cells. Four genes related to NF-kappa B signal pathway, including A20, I-kappaB-alpha, TANK and p65 were up-regulated in Tb cells . Western blot showed that I-kappaB-alpha and p65 were more phorsphorylated in high metastatic Tb cells. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay and EMSA were shoued that highly metastatic Tb cells had high levels of constitutive NF-kappa B activity.
Conclusion: The results suggest that metastatic OSCC cells have a higher constitutive NF-kappa B activity which may contribute to OSCC invasion and metastasis.