EEF1D modulates proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 delta (EEF1D) is a subunit of the elongation factor 1 complex of proteins that mediates the elongation process during protein synthesis via enzymatic delivery of aminoacyl tRNAs to the ribosome. While the functions of EEF1D in the translation process are recognized, EEF1D expression was found to be unbalanced in tumors. Here we demonstrated the overexpression of EEF1D in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and revealed that EEF1D and protein interaction partners promote the activation of cyclin D1 and vimentin proteins. EEF1D knockdown in OSCC reduced cell proliferation and induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotypes, including cell invasion. Taken together, these results define EEF1D as a critical inducer of OSCC proliferation and EMT.