Transcobalamin I: a novel prognostic biomarker of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell cancers

Background: Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) is an aggressive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with poor prognosis. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by concurrent chemoradiotherapy could provide better efficacy in HPSCC treatment. Identification of predictive biomarkers is critically needed to improve selection of patients who derive the most benefit from NACT. The aim of this study was to investigate whether transcobalamin I (TCN1) could be a novel predictive biomarker for NACT in HPSCC. Methods: We collected biopsy specimens from 102 patients with primary locally advanced HPSCC. Messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels of TCN1 were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The relationship between TCN1 expression, chemotherapy sensitivity, and clinical outcome was assessed using univariate Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and multivariate analysis with covariate adjustments. Furthermore, we knocked down TCN1 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in HPSCC cell FaDu, tested the effects of TCN1 knockdown on cisplatin toxicity by MTT assay, and detected cisplatin-induced apoptosis by Western blotting. Results: TCN1 expression was significantly lower in NACT-sensitive patients than non-sensitive patients at protein level (p=0.013) and mRNA level (p<0.001). indicating that low TCN1 expression predicts better NACT treatment response. Furthermore, TCN1 was an independent prognostic biomarker for both overall survival (p=0.047) and disease-free survival (p=0.05) in advanced HPSCC patients. In addition, in vitro experiments showed that genetic silencing of TCN1 using siRNA sensitized FaDu cells to cisplatin treatment with increased cell apoptosis. Conclusion: Low expression of TCN1 might be a novel prognostic biomarker for predicting NACT sensitivity and clinical outcome in local advanced HPSCC patients.