Microfibrillar-associated protein 2 (MFAP2) is a small glycoprotein that is involved in vascular development and metabolic disease. The present study aims to explore the regulatory role of MFAP2 in the development and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), including the underlying mechanisms. MFAP2 expression and its association with the progression of OSCC are explored using bioinformatics. MFAP2 expression in OSCC tissues is detected by immunohistochemical staining. SCC15 cell migration, invasion, apoptosis, proliferation, and viability are detected by wound healing, Transwell, flow cytometry, colony formation, and cell counting kit-8 assays. An in vivo experiment is used to detect tumor formation. Western blot analysis is used to determine MFAP2's regulatory role in autophagy and the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. MFAP2 is highly expressed in SCC15 cells and OSCC tissues, which correlates positively with the poor prognosis of patients with OSCCs. Functionally, MFAP2 promotes oncogenic autophagy to increase cell invasion, migration, and proliferation but inhibits apoptosis in SCC15 cells and promotes tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, MFAP2 upregulates autophagy and Wnt/β-catenin signaling to stimulate OSCC development. Intriguingly, regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling dependent on autophagy contributes to the malignant behaviors of SCC15 cells. MFAP2 could serve as a novel biomarker for OSCC and could affect OSCC tumorigenesis and development via autophagic regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

中文翻译：

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MFAP2通过自噬激活Wnt/β-catenin信号通路，促进口腔鳞状细胞癌的进展。

微纤维相关蛋白 2 (MFAP2) 是一种小糖蛋白，参与血管发育和代谢疾病。本研究旨在探讨MFAP2在口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）发生和进展中的调节作用，包括其潜在机制。利用生物信息学探讨了 MFAP2 表达及其与 OSCC 进展的关联。通过免疫组织化学染色检测 OSCC 组织中 MFAP2 的表达。通过伤口愈合、Transwell、流式细胞术、集落形成和细胞计数 kit-8 检测来检测 SCC15 细胞迁移、侵袭、凋亡、增殖和活力。体内实验用于检测肿瘤形成。Western blot 分析用于确定 MFAP2 在自噬和 Wnt/β-catenin 信号通路中的调节作用。MFAP2在SCC15细胞和OSCC组织中高表达，与OSCC患者的不良预后呈正相关。从功能上讲，MFAP2 促进致癌自噬，增加细胞侵袭、迁移和增殖，但抑制 SCC15 细胞凋亡，促进体内肿瘤生长。从机制上讲，MFAP2 上调自噬和 Wnt/β-catenin 信号传导以刺激 OSCC 的发展。有趣的是，依赖于自噬的 Wnt/β-catenin 信号传导调节导致了 SCC15 细胞的恶性行为。MFAP2可以作为OSCC的新型生物标志物，并可以通过Wnt/β-catenin信号的自噬调节影响OSCC肿瘤的发生和发展。