The E26 transformation-specific (ETS) family is one of the largest families of transcription factors. Upon activation by MAPK pathway, ETS participates in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, and metastasis. However, the mechanism by which ETS is deregulated in cancer is unclear. In this study, the authors investigated the role of ETS factor, ETS2, in hypopharyngeal cancer pathogenesis in hypopharyngeal cancer tissues (N = 20) and corresponding non-neoplastic tissues (N = 20). The results showed that expression of ETS2 was increased in cancer tissues as compared with the expression in corresponding non-neoplastic tissues. Analysis of clinicopathological characteristics showed that increased level of ETS2 is associated with III-IV tumor node metastasis stage and lymph node metastasis. In addition, knockdown of ETS2 by siRNA in pharyngeal cancer cell line, FaDu, significantly decreased cell's vitality and colony-forming ability by inducing caspase-3-dependent apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, inhibition of ETS2 could abrogate the migration, invasion, and transforming growth factor-β-induced epithelial mesenchymal transition through the upregulation of E-cadherin, zona occludens protein-1, together with downregulation of vimentin and α-sooth muscle actin. These functions of ETS2 could be associated with the activation of MAPK/p38/ERK/JNK signals. Taken together, the authors opined that ETS2 functions as an oncogene and plays a key role in the progression of hypopharyngeal cancer.
Keywords: EMT; ETS2; MAPK; apoptosis; hypopharyngeal cancer.