OCT4’s role and mechanism underlying oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a common malignancy of the head and neck, ranks sixth worldwide in terms of cancers with the most negative impact, owing to tumor relapse rates, cervical lymphnode metastasis, and the lack of an efficacious systemic therapy. Its prognosis is poor, and its mortality rate is high. Octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) is a member of the Pit-Oct-Unc (POU) family and is a key reprogramming factor that produces a marked effect in preserving the pluripotency and self-renewal state of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). According to recent studies, OCT4 participates in retaining the survival of OSCC cancer stem cells (CSCs), which has far-reaching implications for the occurrence, recurrence, metastasis, and prognosis of oral carcinogenesis. Therefore, we summarize the structure, subtypes, and function of OCT4 as well as its role in the occurrence, progression, and prognosis of OSCC.