FAP overexpression induce Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in oral squamous cell carcinoma by down-regulating DPP9 gene

FAP acts as a tumor promoter via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The present study was designed to investigate the interaction proteins with FAP and explore the precise mechanism of FAP promoting EMT in OSCC. IP-MS analysis confirmed that DPP9 was an interacting protein of FAP. DPP9 was down-regulated in OSCC tissue samples compared with MNT using immunohistochemistry and quantitative-PCR detection. Lower DPP9 was correlated with unfavorable overall survival of patients with OSCC. Repressing DPP9 accelerates the proliferation of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, overexpression of FAP downregulate the expression of the DPP9 and the effect of FAP on OSCC proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT could be reversed by up-regulated DPP9. Our study suggests that FAP could induce EMT and promote carcinogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma by down-regulating DPP9 gene. That will hint different dimension on therapy for patients with OSCC.