Dataset Information

Tumor Microenvironment, HLA Class I and APM Expression in HPV-Negative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been associated with an escape of tumor cells from the host immune surveillance due to an increased knowledge of its underlying molecular mechanisms and its modulation by the tumor microenvironment and immune cell repertoire. In this study, the expression of HLA class I (HLA-I) antigens and of components of the antigen processing machinery (APM) was analyzed in 160 pathologically classified human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative OSCC lesions and correlated to the intra-tumoral immune cell response, IFN-? signaling and to the patient's outcome. A heterogeneous but predominantly lower constitutive protein expression of HLA-I APM components was found in OSCC sections when compared to non-neoplastic cells. Tumoral HLA-I APM component expression was further categorized into the three major phenotypes HLA-I^high/APM^high, HLA-I^low/APM^low and HLA-I^{discordant high/low}/APM^high. In the HLA-I^high/APM^high group, the highest frequency of intra-tumoral CD8⁺ T cells and lowest number of CD8⁺ T cells close to FoxP3⁺ cells were found. Patients within this group presented the most unfavorable survival, which was significantly evident in stage T2 tumors. Despite a correlation with the number of intra-tumoral CD8⁺ T cells, tumoral JAK1 expression as a surrogate marker for IFN-? signaling was not associated with HLA-I/APM expression. Thus, the presented findings strongly indicate the presence of additional factors involved in the immunomodulatory process of HPV-negative OSCC with a possible tumor-burden-dependent complex network of immune escape mechanisms beyond HLA-I/APM components and T cell infiltration in this tumor entity.

SUBMITTER: Wickenhauser C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7914856 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Tumor Microenvironment, HLA Class I and APM Expression in HPV-Negative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Wickenhauser Claudia C Bethmann Daniel D Kappler Matthias M Eckert Alexander Walter AW Steven André A Bukur Jürgen J Fox Bernard Aloysius BA Beer Jana J Seliger Barbara B

Cancers 20210204 4

Progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been associated with an escape of tumor cells from the host immune surveillance due to an increased knowledge of its underlying molecular mechanisms and its modulation by the tumor microenvironment and immune cell repertoire. In this study, the expression of HLA class I (HLA-I) antigens and of components of the antigen processing machinery (APM) was analyzed in 160 pathologically classified human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative OSCC lesions a ...[more]

PMID: 33557271

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Project description:Background: HPV-positive oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are specific biological and clinical entities, characterized by a more favorable prognosis compared to HPV-negative OSCCs and occurring generally in non-smoking and non-drinking younger individuals. However, poor information is available on the molecular and the clinical behavior of HPV-positive oral cancers occurring in smoking/drinking subjects. Thus, this study was designed to compare, at molecular level, two OSCC cell lines, both derived from drinking and smoking individuals and differing for presence/absence of HPV infection. Methods: HPV-negative UPCI-SCC-131 and HPV16-positive UPCI-SCC-154 cell lines were compared by whole genome gene expression profiling and subsequently studied for activation of Wnt/βCatenin signaling pathway by the expression of several Wnt-target genes, βCatenin intracellular localization, stem cell features and miRNA let-7e. Gene expression data were validated in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) public datasets. Results: Gene expression analysis identified Wnt/βCatenin pathway as the unique signaling pathway more active in HPV-negative compared to HPV-positive OSCC cells and this observation was confirmed upon evaluation of several Wnt-target genes (i.e., Cyclin D1, Cdh1, Cdkn2a, Cd44, Axin2, c-Myc and Tcf1). Interestingly, HPV-negative OSCC cells showed higher levels of total βCatenin and its active form, increase of its nuclear accumulation and more prominent stem cell traits. Furthermore, miRNA let-7e was identified as potential upstream regulator responsible for the downregulation of Wnt/βCatenin signaling cascade since its silencing in UPCI-SCC-154 cell resulted in upregulation of Wnt-target genes. Finally, the analysis of two independent gene expression public datasets of human HNSCC cell lines and tumors confirmed that Wnt/βCatenin pathway is more active in HPV-negative compared to HPV-positive tumors derived from individuals with smoking habit. Conclusions: These data suggest that lack of HPV infection is associated with more prominent activation of Wnt/βCatenin signaling pathway and gain of stem-like traits in tobacco-related OSCCs.

Project description:The stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) can influence the progression of multiple types of cancer; however, data on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are limited. In the present study, the effects of verrucous squamous cell carcinoma‑associated stromal cells (VSCC‑SCs), squamous cell carcinoma‑associated stromal cells (SCC‑SCs) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) on the tumor nest formation, proliferation, invasion and migration of HSC‑3 cells were examined in vitro using Giemsa staining, MTS, and Transwell (invasion and migration) assays, respectively. The results revealed that both the VSCC‑SCs and SCC‑SCs inhibited the tumor nest formation, and promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells in vitro. Furthermore, the effects of VSCC‑SCs, SCC‑SCs and HDFs on the differentiation, proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells in vivo were evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, tartrate‑resistant acid phosphatase staining, immunohistochemistry and double‑fluorescent immunohistochemical staining, respectively. The results demonstrated that the VSCC‑SCs promoted the differentiation, proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells, while the SCC‑SCs inhibited the differentiation, and promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells in vivo. Finally, microarray data were used to predict genes in VSCC‑SCs and SCC‑SCs that may influence the progression of OSCC, and those with potential to influence the differential effects of VSCC‑SCs and SCC‑SCs on the differentiation of OSCC. It was found that C‑X‑C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL)8, mitogen‑activated protein kinase 3 (MAPK3), phosphatidylinositol‑4,5‑bisphosphate 3‑kinase catalytic subunit alpha (PIK3CA), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) and C‑C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) may be involved in the crosstalk between VSCC‑SCs, SCC‑SCs and OSCC cells, which regulates the progression of OSCC. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), interleukin (IL)1B, Fos proto‑oncogene, AP‑1 transcription factor subunit (FOS), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), insulin (INS) and nerve growth factor (NGF) may be responsible for the differential effects of VSCC‑SCs and SCC‑SCs on the differentiation of OSCC. On the whole, the present study demonstrates that both VSCC‑SCs and SCC‑SCs may promote the progression of OSCC, and SCC‑SCs were found to exert a more prominent promoting effect; this may represent a potential regulatory mechanism for the progression of OSCC.

Dataset Information

Tumor Microenvironment, HLA Class I and APM Expression in HPV-Negative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Publications

Tumor Microenvironment, HLA Class I and APM Expression in HPV-Negative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

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