Down-regulation of microRNAs of the miR-200 family and miR-205, and an altered expression of classic and desmosomal cadherins in spindle cell carcinoma of the head and neck--hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

MicroRNAs are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by posttranscriptional regulation of target genes. miR-200 family and miR-205 have been shown experimentally to regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition. As epithelial-mesenchymal transition is the postulated pathogenetic mechanism in spindle cell carcinoma, we analyzed the expression of these microRNAs in spindle cell carcinoma of the head and neck in comparison to conventional squamous cell carcinoma of similar location and stage. We also analyzed the expression of classic and desmosomal cadherins, which are believed to be important targets during epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Forty-five cases of spindle cell carcinoma and 45 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were analyzed using real-time polymerase chain reaction for microRNAs, and immunohistochemistry for classic cadherins (E- and N-cadherins) and desmosomal cadherins. We found a significant down-regulation of the miR-200 family and miR-205, loss of desmosomal cadherins, and an altered expression of classic cadherins in spindle cell carcinoma in comparison to squamous cell carcinoma. Down-regulation of the miR-200 family and miR-205 strongly supports the postulated role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in spindle cell carcinoma. These microRNAs act on transcription repressors that were also up-regulated in our cases of spindle cell carcinoma, both on mRNA and on protein levels. The result is not only an altered expression of classic cadherins in adherens junctions but also a complete loss of desmosomal cadherins.