How Temperature and Saliva Affect Oral Cancer Cells

Oral cancer often appears in a specific U-shaped area of the mouth, including:

• The floor of the mouth
• The sides of the tongue
• The back part near the tonsils

Scientists are investigating why this occurs and how cells in this area respond to changes in temperature and liquids.

Biomolecular Condensates

Inside cells, there are tiny structures called biomolecular condensates. These structures:

• Lack a membrane
• Can change shape and function based on conditions

In oral cancer cells, these condensates:

• Disassemble and reassemble quickly when exposed to less salty liquids (e.g., saliva, water, tea, coffee)
• This process occurs at body temperature (~37°C)

Temperature Effects

Scientists studied the impact of temperature on this process:

• At 5°C (colder temperature): The cycle slowed down
• At 50°C (warmer temperature): The cycle sped up

This suggests that the temperature of consumed liquids might affect condensate behavior in oral cells.

The WNK-SPAK/OSR1 Pathway

Researchers examined the WNK-SPAK/OSR1 pathway, which regulates water and mineral flow in kidney cells. Using different inhibitors:

• Inhibiting the WNK part stopped condensate disassembly in less salty liquids
• Inhibiting the SPAK/OSR1 part slowed down condensate reassembly

Inhibitor WNK-IN-11

One inhibitor, WNK-IN-11, caused condensates to:

• Change shape quickly (from spheres to fibers)
• This change did not affect the antiviral function of the protein GFP-MxA

Conclusion

These findings suggest a new idea about why oral cancer often appears in the U-shaped area of the mouth. It might be due to:

• Repetitive exposure to changes in temperature and saltiness of liquids
• Resulting changes in condensates
• Potential contribution to cancer development