Downregulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase suppresses the malignant progression of oral cancer

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to investigate the specific role of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACACA) gene in Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). we constructed Human Tongue Carcinoma Cell Line (SAS cell line) with low ACACA expression and evaluated changes in their cell cycle, proliferation, and metabolite levels. Furthermore, the effect of ACACA on tumor formation in vivo was determined. ACACA knockdown significantly reduced the proliferation ability of SAS cells, while also significantly increasing the number of apoptotic cells. In vivo experiments demonstrated lower tumor volume and weight in the ACACA knockdown group than those in the control group. Exploring the combined effect of ACACA knockdown and cisplatin treatment revealed a promising synergistic effect against ferroptosis signaling and downstream signaling pathways in SAS cells and in vivo. These findings suggest that targeting the ACACA gene has the potential to be a novel therapeutic strategy for oral cancer treatment.