Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a significant global health concern. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection as well as long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) associated EBV infection, have been linked to OSCC development and are known to influence cancer progression. LINC00944 is associated with various cancers and immune cells, but its role in oral cancer remains underexplored. This study investigated the role of EBV-induced LINC00944 in OSCC and its impact on the tumor microenvironment. The LINC00944 expression was analyzed from a database of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues, and its expression in EBV-positive and EBV-negative OSCC cell lines was examined via qRT-PCR. We overexpressed LINC00944 in SCC25 and ORL-48T oral cancer cell lines and evaluated its impact on migration and invasion ability using wound healing and transwell experiments. Additionally, we studied its influence on macrophage differentiation. The results showed that LINC00944 expression was higher in HNSCC than in normal tissues and was linked to EBV-positive OSCC cell lines. LINC00944 overexpressed-OSCC cell lines significantly increased cellular motility and invasiveness. Additionally, LINC00944 was secreted in a cultured medium, delivered to macrophages, and promoted macrophage differentiation into the M1 subtype. Predicted interactions suggested that LINC00944 targets miRNAs that regulate NFKB1 and RELA. In conclusion, EBV-induced LINC00944 contributes to OSCC progression by enhancing tumor cell migration, invasion, and macrophage differentiation, potentially regulating these processes through NFKB1 and RELA. These findings provide valuable directions for LINC00944’s future studies on its mechanisms and suggest that it could be a target of study in EBV-associated OSCC.

Background: A novel platform to produce whole-virion vaccines using riboflavin and ultraviolet (UV) light for photochemical inactivation has been developed. We previously reported on the potential for this platform to produce a safe and effective inactivated whole-virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Feasibility studies used a hamster infection challenge model to explore the effects of route of administration and adjuvants on immune responses elicited by the vaccine candidate. Here, we utilized the same animal model to evaluate the dose response to the vaccine candidate in combination with the adjuvant CpG1018. Methods: A pilot batch of the vaccine candidate was produced at a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) for use in this study. A two-dose intramuscular regimen at three antigen concentrations formulated with CpG1018 adjuvant was assessed against a live SARS-CoV-2 (USA-WA-1/2020) challenge. Results: The vaccine elicited dose-dependent neutralizing antibody responses, with peak PRNT₅₀ titers exceeding 1:5120. Vaccination significantly reduced lung viral burden and mitigated pulmonary pathology compared to controls. Antibodies persisted up to 154 days post-vaccination and neutralized Delta and Omicron (Jn.1) variants but showed limited activity against XBB.1.5. Flow cytometry revealed enhanced CD4⁺ Th1-biased responses in higher-dose groups. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the protective efficacy of the SolaVAX SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate and support further evaluation of this vaccine production platform.