Immunofluorescence staining for cytoskeletal protein F-actin showed that Cal27 cells became slender in the CAFs-NC group compared with the control group, and returned to normal morphology in the CAFs-shLOX group (Fig. 4C), suggesting that matrix stiffness mediated by CAFs-derived LOX had a certain effect on the morphological changes in oral cancer cells. Here, LOX is linked to lip and oral cavity carcinoma.