# Evaluating the Role of Neurogenic Locus Notch Homolog Protein 1 in Oral Cancer Progression and Therapeutic Opportunities

## TL;DR

This study shows that the NOTCH1 protein is overactive in oral cancer, especially in advanced stages, and could be a useful target for treatment.

## Contribution

The study identifies NOTCH1 as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in oral cancer progression.

## Key findings

- NOTCH1 mRNA was significantly upregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma compared to controls.
- Higher NOTCH1 expression was linked to more advanced cancer stages and immune suppression.
- NOTCH1 overexpression was less pronounced in mucoepidermoid carcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma.

## Abstract

Background and aim: The most common type of malignancy on a global scale is oral cancer, as its incidence level is high worldwide. The neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 1 (NOTCH1) plays a key role in cell maturation and the regulation of the immune system; however, its functions are still not fully understood. This research evaluated the expression of NOTCH1 across two types of oral cancer (oral squamous cell carcinoma {OSCC} versus mucoepidermoid carcinoma {MEC}) and healthy controls to observe its correlation with immune suppression and patterns of disease progression.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted over a seven-month period from March 2023 to September 2023. A total of 120 participants were enrolled and divided into three equal groups, i.e., 40/120 (33.34%) OSCC cases, 40/120 (33.33%) MEC cases, and 40/120 (33.33%) healthy controls. The RNA extraction was done using a protocol, and blood and tumor tissues were taken for the purpose, after which cDNA was produced. The analysis was performed using NOTCH1-specific primers by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). SPSS version 20 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) was used for the calculation of expression quantities by employing the 2-ΔΔCt method. To analyze the data, the ANOVA method was used. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant.

Results: The expression levels of NOTCH1 mRNA were seen to be substantially different across groups, with a mean of 3.67±0.59, while MEC patients displayed lower overexpression at 2.48±0.53, and controls maintained baseline expression at 1.00±0.42. NOTCH1 in stage IV cancers was more upregulated (4.03±0.48) than in stage III (3.26±0.56; p<0.001).

Conclusion: The research demonstrated that NOTCH1 showed significant upregulation in oral squamous cell carcinoma and was associated with both immune suppression and unfavorable clinical outcomes. The investigation indicated that NOTCH1 stood as an effective biomarker and therapeutic target for oral cancer.