IGF2BP1 promotes the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Sep 23, 2026

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Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly prevalent malignancy, where lymph node metastasis strongly drives poor survival. This study evaluates insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) expression in HNSCC using TCGA and multiple experimental assays, and examines its effects on proliferation, migration, invasion, and in vivo lymphatic metastasis. Results show IGF2BP1 upregulation correlates with metastasis and prognosis and supports EMT and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keywords

Introduction

Clinical burden and metastasis in HNSCC

IGF2BP1 biology and cancer associations

PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and relevance to HNSCC

Liu et al. World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2025) 23:277 [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12957-025-03929-5](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12957-025-03929-5) World Journal of Surgical Oncology RESEARCH Open Access IGF2BP1 promotes the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and inducing epithelialmesenchymal transition Ruibing Liu 1,2, Guohua Hu 1, Yanshi Li 1, Tao Lu 1, Min Pan 1, Mengna Wang 1,2, Zhaobo Cheng 1,2 and Lin Chen 1,2* Abstract Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks as the sixth most prevalent cancer globally, with lymph node metastasis being a primary contributor to poor patient prognosis. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms driving HNSCC lymphatic metastasis is imperative for developing targeted therapeutic strategies and improving patient survival. Methods The expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) in HNSCC samples was evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical analysis. The impact of IGF2BP1 on HNSCC cell proliferation was assessed through CCK-8 assay, plate cloning, and EdU assays. Cell motility was examined by Transwell migration and invasion assays. A tumor lymph node metastasis model in nude mice was established to evaluate the role of IGF2BP1 in lymphatic metastasis. Additionally, the regulatory effects of IGF2BP1 on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways were investigated using immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Results IGF2BP1 expression was significantly elevated in HNSCC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues and was strongly associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis. Knockdown of IGF2BP1 suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNSCC cells. Furthermore, IGF2BP1 knockdown inhibited tumor growth and lymphatic metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, IGF2BP1 was found to promote the EMT process by activating the PI3K/ AKT/mTOR pathway, thereby enhancing the migratory and invasive capabilities of HNSCC cells. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that IGF2BP1 plays a critical role in promoting HNSCC growth and metastasis, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target. Keywords IGF2BP1, HNSCC, Metastasis, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, EMT *Correspondence: Lin Chen[chenlin995112@163.com](chenlin995112@163.com) 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P. R. China 2The First Clinical College, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P. R. China © The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit [http://creati](http://creati)[vecommons.org/l](vecommons.org/l)icenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/. Liu et al. World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2025) 23:277 Page 2 of 13 Introduction Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a significant global health burden, ranking asthe sixth most prevalent malignancy worldwide with an annua

FAQs

What role does IGF2BP1 play in HNSCC progression and metastasis?

IGF2BP1 promotes HNSCC growth and metastasis and is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis.

How did the study assess IGF2BP1 expression and its cellular effects?

IGF2BP1 expression was measured using TCGA analysis and RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry, while effects on proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated with CCK-8, cloning, EdU, and Transwell assays.

Through which mechanism does IGF2BP1 drive metastatic behavior?

Mechanistically, IGF2BP1 promotes EMT by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, enhancing migratory and invasive capabilities.

Sep 23, 2026

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