PTX3 facilitates tumor cell migration and invasion through the miR-1255b-2-3p/CYP2J2 axis in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) poses major clinical challenges because of its invasiveness and poor prognosis. Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an immune-modulating protein implicated in various types of cancer, although its role in OSCC remains unclear. In this study, we examined the functional roles and underlying molecular mechanisms of PTX3 in OSCC. The effects of PTX3 on cell migration in human OSCC cells were investigated using a combination of RNA sequencing, transfection, Western blotting, quantitative RT-PCR, and Boyden chamber assays. Bioinformatics and clinical data analyses revealed high PTX3 levels in OSCC tissues, associated with reduced patient survival. Functional assays revealed that PTX3 promotes migration and invasion in OSCC cells. Transcriptomic profiling identified cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily J member 2 (CYP2J2) as a downstream target of PTX3. Mechanistically, PTX3 inhibits the expression of CYP2J2 by modulating the focal adhesion kinase/Src/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway and upregulating miR-1255b-2-3p, which directly interacts with the 3ʹ-untranslated region of CYP2J2. Overall, our findings elucidate a novel regulatory axis that involves PTX3, miR-1255b-2-3p, and CYP2J2 and drives the progression of OSCC, highlighting PTX3 as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in OSCC management.