Fig. 5.

MMP12 is one of the targets of DRP1 in HNC cells. (A) Heat‐map showing relative alteration of target genes belonging to EMT molecules using QPCR array analysis of SAS cell transfected with siDRP1 compared with the negative control. Red: upregulation; green: downregulation. (B) QPCR was analyzed to validate the expressions of target genes from (A). (C) Impact of DRP1 knockdown or Mdivi‐1 on MMP12 protein expression were demonstrated in SAS and HSC‐3 cells. Quantification of relative DRP1 and MMP12 expressions are shown. (D,E) Cell growth and motility were evaluated in DRP1‐depleted cells transfected with MMP12 using MTT and Transwell assays. Quantification of relative Flag‐MMP12 expression is shown. (F) Studies from GEPIA and Oncomine datasets present the increase of MMP12 mRNA in HNC samples. (G) A positive correlation between DRP1 mRNA and MMP12 mRNA was found in the Oncomine cohort (Peng database, n = 41; Estilo database, n = 31). All data are presented as mean  ±  SD of three independent experiments. Significance was calculated using t‐test. In (D) (cell growth) and (F) (GEPIA), statistical analyses were performed using one‐way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparison’s test and Wilcoxon signed‐rank test, respectively. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001.