High Expression of Myosin ⅩⅥ Predicts Poor Prognosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Myosins, a superfamily of actin-dependent molecular motors, have emerged as crucial players in tumorigenesis. This study investigates the role of Myosin ⅩⅥ (MYO16), an unconventional myosin, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).Method: In this case-control study, we employed multiple databases to investigate the expression of MYO16 in samples from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA), focusing on HNSCC along with associated clinicopathological features. Since HNSCC primarily includes oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we additionally validated the mRNA level of MYO16 in OSCC samples using the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. Moreover, we used various online databases to uncover the relationship between MYO16 and tumor infiltration. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism, and the significance was determined with student's t-test.Results: Comprehensive analyses across diverse databases consistently reveal a significant upregulation of MYO16 expression in HNSCC. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that MYO16 is significantly upregulated in OSCC tumor tissue samples. Correlation with clinicopathological features and survival analysis underscores its potential prognostic value. Furthermore, MYO16 interactions with immune cells within the tumor microenvironment are negatively associated with immune genes.Conclusion: This study identifies MYO16 as a potential biomarker associated with HNSCC development, and emphasizes its significance as a potential therapeutic target, aligning with its diverse roles across cellular processes. Further experimental studies are necessary to elucidate MYO16 functional implications and clinical relevance in HNSCC.