Understanding the role of the R-spondin 2-LGR4 system in tongue squamous cell carcinoma progression

Non peer reviewe

Suun epiteelisolu : aktiivinen tekijä toistuvissa suun alueen haavaumissa eli aftoissa

Recurrent aphthous ulcer (RAU) is an ulcerative disease of the oral mucosa characterised by the appearance of ulcerations in the oral mucosa accompanied by an erythematous halo area surrounding the ulcer and showing signs of acute inflammation. While RAU affects approximately 20% of the population globally, its pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Furthermore, most studies concentrate on treatment while few address the pathogenesis of the disease. This project aimed to determine the mechanisms of oral epithelial cell death in RAU, the role of these cells in disease pathogenesis in terms of toll-like receptor (TLR) expression, and the ability of the these cells to produce chemokines, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and antimicrobial peptides. Together these may first aggravate and, then, down-regulate the inflammation and initiate the healing process. For this purpose, we collected 13 aphthae and 11 healthy control biopsies for immunohistochemical staining, immunofluorescence staining, and quantitative PCR. For functional studies, we cultured primary oral keratinocytes and oral squamous cell carcinoma cell-line SCC-25 and tested their responses to different stimuli. Our results highlight the importance of oral epithelial cells in RAU; interestingly, oral epithelial cells in RAU tested positive for apoptosis markers caspase-3, especially at the superficial and spinous layer, and TUNEL, but negative in controls. We also found that TLRs are primarily present in the basal and suprabasal layers of control epithelium, but their expression extends to the superficial layer in RAU epithelium. Additionally, we found significally higher expressions of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), IL-17C, and beta defensin 2 (BD-2) in RAU oral epithelium compared with control epithelium. Functional studies on cultured primary oral keratinocytes and SCC-25 supported our results from RAU biopsies since these cells responded to damage-associated molecule patterns (DAMPs), such as self-DNA and pro-inflammatory cytokines including IL-17C, TNF-α, and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), through a significant increase in the expression of selected molecules including TLR2, TNF-α, and BD-2. Based on our findings, RAU may begin with a strong initiating factor activating a self-amplificatory cycle. This cycle is characterised by the induction of epithelial cells apoptosis at the superficial layer down to the basal layer, a change in the pattern of TLR distribution, the up-regulation of several chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and, finally, the secretion of antimicrobial peptides initating the healing process. As a result of the lack of adaptive immunity in RAU, the cycle recurs when the mucosa is subjected to an initiating factor of the same sequence.Toistuva suun alueen haavauma eli afta (RAU) on akuutti tulehdus, joka vaikuttaa suun limakalvolla. Haavauma ilmestyy muutamassa tunnissa ja kestää 5-10 päivää, jonka aikana tulehdus lievittyy ja haava paranee itsestään. Taudille ominaista on limakalvon pintakudoksen eli epiteelin menetys, joka näkyy kliinisesti valkoisena tai harmaana alueen jota ympäröi punainen halo, joka saattaa viitata tulehduksen aktiivisuuteen. Akuutin tulehduksen seurauksena, vauriokohtaan kertyy useita erityyppisiä tulehdussoluja, jotka voivat taistella taudinaiheuttajia eli mikrobeja vastaan, joilla on helppo pääsy suun limakalvolle suojaamattoman haava-alueen kautta ja toisaalta myös lisätä tulehdusta, jota pidetään ensimmäisenä askeleena kohti paranemista. Vaikka RAU:ta esiintyy noin 20% väestöstä ympäri maailmaa, sen synty ja laukaisevat tekijät ovat tuntemattomia. Useimmat tutkimukset keskittyvät taudin hoitoon ja vain harvat näistä tutkimuksista ovat selvittäneet taudin syntymekanismia. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää limakalvon epiteelisolujen merkitystä RAU:n synnyssä sekä niiden ohjelmoitua solukuolemaa eli apoptoosia sääteleviä tekijöitä. Taudin patogeneesin kannalta merkittäviä tekijöitä tutkittiin niin lähetti RNA kuin proteiini tasolla potilaiden että terveiden verrokkien suun limakalvon koepaloista. Lisäksi tutkittiin joidenkin näiden molekyylien vaikutusta viljeltyihin suun limakalvon epiteelisoluihin. Tuloksemme korostavat suun limakalvon epiteelisolujen merkitystä aftojen synnyssä. Mielenkiintoista oli, että ne ilmensivät solukuolemaan liittyviä markkereita sekä sen seurauksena soluista vapautuvia vaarasignaaleja. Osoitimme myös, että taudinaiheuttajia sekä vaarasignaaleja tunnistavat reseptorit ovat läsnä normaalin limakalvon levyepiteelin alemmissa kerroksissa, mutta esiintyvät RAU potilaiden epiteelillä myös pintakerroksissa. Proinflammatoriset sytokiinit ja kemokiinit olivat myös merkittävästi koholla RAU potilaan epiteelillä, kuten myös paranemiseen liittyvät antimikrobiset peptidit. Soluviljelykokeet viljellyillä suun epiteelisoluilla tukivat näitä tuloksia; epiteelisolut pystyivät vastaamaan erityyppisten vaarasignaalien ja proinflammatoristen sytokiinien ärsykkeisiin lisäämällä tutkittujen molekyylien eritystä. Edellä esitetyn perusteella hypotetisoimme, että RAU käynnistää itseään aktivoivan syklin. Tälle syklille on ominaista epiteelisolujen apoptoosi, muutos vaarasignaalien ja taudinaiheuttajien sekä näitä tunnistavien reseptorien esiintymisessä, useiden kemokiinien ja pro-inflammatoristen sytokiinien ilmenemisen lisääntyminen sekä antimikrobisten peptidien eritys, jotka yhdessä säätelevät tulehdusta ja aloittavat paranemisprosessin

Editorial: Angiogenesis and Angiogenesis Inhibitors in Oral Cancer

Non peer reviewe

Variable roles of interleukin-17F in different cancers

Background Interleukin (IL)-17 family is a group of six cytokines that plays a central role in inflammatory processes and participates in cancer progression. Interleukin-17A has been shown to have mainly a protumorigenic role, but the other members of the IL-17 family, including IL-17F, have received less attention. Methods We applied systematic review guidelines to study the role of IL-17F, protein and mRNA expression, polymorphisms, and functions, in cancer. We carried out a systematic search in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane libraries, yielding 79 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results The findings indicated that IL-17F has both anti- and protumorigenic roles, which depend on cancer type and the molecular form and location of IL-17F. As an example, the presence of IL-17F protein in tumor tissue and patient serum has a protective role in oral and pancreatic cancers, whereas it is protumorigenic in prostate and bladder cancers. These effects are proposed to be based on multiple mechanisms, such as inhibition of angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry and cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and aggravating the inflammatory process. No solid evidence emerged for the correlation between IL-17F polymorphisms and cancer incidence or patients' prognosis. Conclusion IL-17F is a multifaceted cytokine. There is a clear demand for more well-designed studies of IL-17F to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in different types of cancer. The studies presented in this article examined a variety of different designs, study populations and primary/secondary outcomes, which unfortunately reduces the value of direct interstudy comparisons.Peer reviewe

Variable roles of interleukin-17F in different cancers

Background Interleukin (IL)-17 family is a group of six cytokines that plays a central role in inflammatory processes and participates in cancer progression. Interleukin-17A has been shown to have mainly a protumorigenic role, but the other members of the IL-17 family, including IL-17F, have received less attention. Methods We applied systematic review guidelines to study the role of IL-17F, protein and mRNA expression, polymorphisms, and functions, in cancer. We carried out a systematic search in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane libraries, yielding 79 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results The findings indicated that IL-17F has both anti- and protumorigenic roles, which depend on cancer type and the molecular form and location of IL-17F. As an example, the presence of IL-17F protein in tumor tissue and patient serum has a protective role in oral and pancreatic cancers, whereas it is protumorigenic in prostate and bladder cancers. These effects are proposed to be based on multiple mechanisms, such as inhibition of angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry and cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and aggravating the inflammatory process. No solid evidence emerged for the correlation between IL-17F polymorphisms and cancer incidence or patients' prognosis. Conclusion IL-17F is a multifaceted cytokine. There is a clear demand for more well-designed studies of IL-17F to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in different types of cancer. The studies presented in this article examined a variety of different designs, study populations and primary/secondary outcomes, which unfortunately reduces the value of direct interstudy comparisons.Peer reviewe

Human myoma tissue-based extracellular matrix models for testing the effects of irradiation on the HPV positive cells

Background This study was designed to investigate the invasion of human papillomavirus (HPV) positive human cervical carcinoma cell lines in human leiomyoma-based extracellular matrices in vitro,and to test the suitability of the model for studying the irradiation effects on the cancer cell invasion. Methods HPV positive cervical carcinoma cell lines SiHa and CaSki, and HPV negative squamous cell carcinoma cell line HSC-3 were used. CaSki cells contain around 600 copies of HPV 16 virus in the genome, whereas SiHa have only 1-2 copies per cell. Cells were analyzed using two different human tumor derived extracellular matrix methods (3D myoma disc model, and Myogel Transwell invasion assay). Cultures were irradiated with 4 Gy. Myoma invasion area and the depth of invasion were measured with ImageJ 1.51j8 software. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS Statistics (IBM SPSS (R) Statistics 25). Results All cells invaded through Myogel coated Transwell membranes and within myoma discs. In myoma discs, a difference in the invasion depth (p = 0.0001) but not in invasion area (p = 0.310) between the HPV positive cell lines was seen, since SiHa (less HPV) invaded slightly better than CaSki (more HPV). HSC-3 cells (HPV negative) invaded deepest (p = 0.048) than either of the HPV positive cell line cells. No difference was detected in the invasion area (p = 0.892) between HPV positive and HPV negative cells. The ionized radiation significantly reduced the invasion depth of HSC-3 (p = 0.008), SiHa (p = 0.0001) and CaSki (p = 0.005). No significant effect on the invasion area was detected in any of the cell lines. However, a significant difference was observed between SiHa and CaSki in the reduction of the invasion depth after radiation (p = 0.013) as the reduction was greater with SiHa than CaSki. Conclusions Both solid and gelatinous human leiomyoma-based extracellular matrix models were suitable platforms to study the invasion of HPV positive cervical carcinoma cells in vitro. SiHa cells with less HPV copy number cells invaded slightly better and were slightly more sensitive to irradiation than CaSki cells with high HPV copy number. However, there was no drastic differences between the invasion properties of these carcinoma cells.Peer reviewe

In vitro models as tools for screening treatment options of head and neck cancer

Various in vitro models using primary and established 2- and 3-dimensional cultures, multicellular tumor spheroids, standardized tumor slice cultures, tumor organoids, and microfluidic systems obtained from tumor lesions/biopsies of head and neck cancer (HNC) have been employed for exploring and monitoring treatment options. All of these in vitro models are to a different degree able to capture the diversity of tumors, recapitulate the disease genetically, histologically, and functionally and retain their tumorigenic potential upon xenotransplantation. The models were used for the characterization of the malignant features of the tumors and for in vitro screens of drugs approved for the treatment of HNC, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as recently developed targeted therapies and immunotherapies, or for novel treatments not yet licensed for these tumor entities. The implementation of the best suitable model will enlarge our knowledge of the oncogenic properties of HNC, expand the drug repertoire and help to develop individually tailored treatment strategies resulting in the translation of these findings into the clinic. This review summarizes the different approaches using preclinical in vitro systems with their advantages and disadvantages and their implementation as preclinical platforms to predict disease course, evaluate biomarkers and test therapy efficacy.Peer reviewe

IDO1 Inhibition Reduces Immune Cell Exclusion Through Inducing Cell Migration While PD-1 Blockage Increases IL-6 and-8 Secretion From T Cells in Head and Neck Cancer

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), primarily anti-PD-1, are currently used to treat patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, only a minority of patients benefit from these costly therapies. Therefore, there is an unmet need to better understand the effect of ICIs on immune effector cells. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a PD-1 antibody and an IDO1 inhibitor on different lymphocyte populations (NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells) in term of migration, cytotoxicity, and cytokine release in the presence of HNSCC cells. MethodsUsing a microfluidic chip, we injected HSC-3 cells (an oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line) embedded in a human tumor-derived matrix "myogel/fibrin" together with NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells in separate channels. The two channels were connected with microchannels. The PD-1 antibody nivolumab and IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat were added to the microfluidic chips. Lymphocyte migration and cytotoxicity were examined under fluorescent microscopy and cytokine release was measured using a FirePlex Human Discovery Cytokines Immunoassay. ResultsEpacadostat significantly increased the migration and infiltration of NK and CD4(+) T cells, but not CD8(+) T cells, towards the cancer cells. Nivolumab did not exhibit a similar effect. While CD8(+) T cells alone showed near to no migration, adding CD4(+) T cells enhanced migration towards the cancer cells. There was a mild nonsignificant increase in apoptosis of HSC-3 cells after adding epacadostat to lymphocytes. In contrast, HSC-3 proliferation was not affected by lymphocytes regardless of ICIs. Nivolumab significantly increased release of MIP1-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 from NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells, respectively. ConclusionsThis study revealed that each subpopulation of lymphocytes respond differently to ICIs. We also revealed the subpopulation of lymphocytes responsible for the increases in specific serum cytokines after ICI treatment.Peer reviewe

IDO1 Inhibition Reduces Immune Cell Exclusion Through Inducing Cell Migration While PD-1 Blockage Increases IL-6 and-8 Secretion From T Cells in Head and Neck Cancer

BackgroundImmune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), primarily anti-PD-1, are currently used to treat patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, only a minority of patients benefit from these costly therapies. Therefore, there is an unmet need to better understand the effect of ICIs on immune effector cells. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a PD-1 antibody and an IDO1 inhibitor on different lymphocyte populations (NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells) in term of migration, cytotoxicity, and cytokine release in the presence of HNSCC cells. MethodsUsing a microfluidic chip, we injected HSC-3 cells (an oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line) embedded in a human tumor-derived matrix "myogel/fibrin" together with NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells in separate channels. The two channels were connected with microchannels. The PD-1 antibody nivolumab and IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat were added to the microfluidic chips. Lymphocyte migration and cytotoxicity were examined under fluorescent microscopy and cytokine release was measured using a FirePlex Human Discovery Cytokines Immunoassay. ResultsEpacadostat significantly increased the migration and infiltration of NK and CD4(+) T cells, but not CD8(+) T cells, towards the cancer cells. Nivolumab did not exhibit a similar effect. While CD8(+) T cells alone showed near to no migration, adding CD4(+) T cells enhanced migration towards the cancer cells. There was a mild nonsignificant increase in apoptosis of HSC-3 cells after adding epacadostat to lymphocytes. In contrast, HSC-3 proliferation was not affected by lymphocytes regardless of ICIs. Nivolumab significantly increased release of MIP1-alpha, IL-6, and IL-8 from NK, CD4(+), and CD8(+) T cells, respectively. ConclusionsThis study revealed that each subpopulation of lymphocytes respond differently to ICIs. We also revealed the subpopulation of lymphocytes responsible for the increases in specific serum cytokines after ICI treatment.Peer reviewe

Fermented Lingonberry Juice Inhibits Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Invasion In Vitro Similarly to Curcumin

Background: Oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) cells are highly proliferative and invasive. Lingonberry contains several polyphenolic compounds similar to curcumin. We hypothesize that fermented lingonberry juice (FLJ) has an anti-invasive and anti-proliferative effect on OTSCC cells similarly to curcumin, which is known to be anti-carcinogenic. Materials and Methods: FLJ, curcumin dissolved in ethanol, or curcumin loaded in Candida extracellular vesicles (EVs) were added to more (HSC-3) and less aggressive (SCC-25) OTSCC cells. Cell proliferation was measured with a 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine kit and invasion in the three-dimensional Myogel spheroid assay. Statistical analyses were completed with one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc testing. Results: Both FLJ and curcumin significantly reduced the proliferation and invasion of HSC-3 and SCC-25 cells. The effects of curcumin were not improved when cells were treated with curcumin loaded within EVs. Conclusion: Our results suggest that FLJ, like curcumin, has an anti-carcinogenic effect on aggressive OTSCC cells in vitro.Peer reviewe