To further elucidate the role of NF-YA/p53/lincRNA-p21 signaling in HNSCC cells, Cal27 (mut-p53) and HN30 (wt-p53) cells after co-transfection with lincRNA-p21 plasmids and si-NF-YA were analyzed to observe that knockdown NF-YA expression could reverse the inhibition of proliferation capacity of lincRNA-p21 overexpression in Cal27 cells, not HN30 cells (Fig. 5a, b). The gene discussed is NFYA; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.