NUMERO: #20260149

Título: BREAKING CERAMIDE BALANCE: AN ASYMMETRIC NETWORK OF CERS ISOFORMS DRIVES TUMOR BEHAVIOR IN ORAL CANCER

Nome do Apresentador: Felipe Garcia NISHIMURA

Categoria do Trabalho: Pôster - Investigação Original (IO)

Área Temática: Oncologia

Resumo: Objective: To investigate the role of ceramide synthases (CERS) as potential biomarkers and modulators of cell fate in oral cancer.
Study Design: In silico analyses were performed using GEPIA3 and TCGA-HNSC datasets, with oral cavity-specific data extracted for increased specificity. Gene expression was validated by RT-qPCR in tumor and peritumoral tissues from patients (n=52). Functional assays were conducted in Cal27 cells using shRNA-mediated individual and combined knockdown of CERS5 and CERS6.
Results: In silico analysis revealed downregulation of CERS1 and upregulation of CERS5 and CERS6 in HNSC. When restricted to oral cavity, only CERS1 and CERS5 remained significantly altered. In patient samples, CERS1 was consistently downregulated, while CERS5 and CERS6 showed no significant differences. Knockdown experiments demonstrated a compensatory regulatory network: CERS5 silencing upregulated CERS6, whereas CERS6 silencing reduced CERS5 expression, indicating functional redundancy. CERS1 expression remained low and was not affected by CERS5 or CERS6 knockdown.
Conclusion: These findings define a coordinated yet asymmetric network among CERS isoforms in oral cancer. CERS1 may function as an independent tumor suppressor, whereas CERS5 and CERS6 operate in a functionally interdependent manner to regulate cellular outcomes. Targeting this imbalance may provide novel biomarkers and strategy to enhance therapeutic response for OSCC.

Autor 1:  Felipe Garcia NISHIMURA

E-mail 1:  [email protected]

Autor 2:   Guilherme da Silva CARVALHO

E-mail 2:  [email protected]

Autor 3 :  Andréia Machado LEOPOLDINO

E-mail 3:  [email protected]