ZNF750 inhibited the malignant progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by regulating tumor vascular microenvironment

[Display omitted] •The deletion of zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750) is associated with squamous epithelial malignant biological characteristics.•Over-expression of ZNF750 inhibited the genes expression related to angiogenesis and metastasis in CAL-27 cell.•The inhibited cell migration in CAL-27 cell was attributed to the regulation of ZNF750 on tumor vessels normalization.•ZNF750 is a potential squamous cell carcinoma suppressor gene. Squamous cell carcinoma is often associated with the deletion or mutation of zinc finger protein 750 (ZNF750), its deletion or mutation is associated with squamous epithelial malignant biological characteristics. The present study is to explore the mechanism of ZNF750 to suppress the tumor malignant process by regulation tumor microenvironment. To evaluate the changes of tumor microenvironment in oral squamous cells carcinoma cell line CAL-27 cell, the expression of angiogenin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), prolyl hydroxylase 2 (PHD2), G protein signal regulated protein 5 (RGS5), integrin A5 (ITGA5), integrin B1 (ITGB1) and CD44 were detected by Western-blot. The changes of platelet derived growth factor (PDGFB) and tumor vascular marker CD105 (Endoglin) mRNA were estimated by qPCR. The effect of over-expressed ZNF750 on cell viability and lateral migration capacity was investigated by CCK-8 and cell scratch assay in three oral squamous cells carcinoma. ZNF750 could effectively inhibit the protein or mRNA expression of angiogenin, VEGF, RGS5 and CD105, repressed the cell adhesion molecules ITGA5, ITGB1 and CD44, but up-regulate the protein or mRNA expression of PHD2 and PDGFB. The cell viability and lateral migration ability of three oral squamous cells carcinoma were reduced by over-expression of ZNF750. ZNF750 could modulate the tumor vascular microenvironment to inhibit the oral squamous cells carcinoma malignant progression.