Serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 2 is associated with malignant progression and clinical prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background/purpose: The serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 2 (SERPINE2), is upregulated in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and urothelial carcinoma; however, limited information exists regarding its expression in oral cancer. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the association between SERPINE2 expression and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) outcomes.
Materials and Methods: SERPINE2 mRNA and protein expression in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and OSCC were investigated using online databases and tissue-array analysis. Its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics, OSCC prognosis and its biological function in OSCC cells were explored.
Results: Analysis using online databases revealed higher SERPINE2 expression in tumor tissues and its role as a prognostic factor. High SERPINE2 protein levels were significantly correlated with adverse pathological parameters, including advanced clinical stage and tumor status ( P  < 0.001), lymph nodes ( P  = 0.014), and distant metastases ( P  = 0.013). High SERPINE2 expression was associated with worse overall survival ( P  < 0.001) and was identified as an independent prognostic factor for OSCC. In vitro studies revealed that SERPINE2 knockdown significantly reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in OSCC cell lines.
Conclusion: This study suggests that SERPINE2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for oral cancer.
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
(© 2023 Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of China. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V.)