UBE2T promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and motility in oral cancer cells via induction of IL6 expression

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent and aggressive malignancy with high mortality rates, however mechanisms associated with OSSC progression remain to be elucidated. In the present study, using bioinformatic analysis, we identified ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2T (UBE2T) as a poor prognostic factor in head and neck cancer and examined its role in OSCC progression. Functional studies revealed that UBE2T enhances motility and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in OSCC cells. In addition, RNA sequencing and subsequent analyses demonstrated that UBE2T enhances expressions of various motility- and EMT-related factors; plasminogen activator, urokinase; matrix metalloproteinase-9 and ankyrin repeat domain 1 and IL6. Further analysis revealed the upregulation of genes associated with IL6/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in cells expressing UBE2T. Moreover, the treatment of OSCC cells with IL6 resulted in induction of EMT and enhanced cancer cell motility suggesting that IL6, upregulated by UBE2T, is crucial for maintaining mesenchymal traits and motility in OSCC cells. The present findings also suggest that the UBE2T-IL6 axis may serve as a potential therapeutic target for OSCC treatment.