TY - JOUR
T1 - Regulatory T cells and M2-polarized tumour-associated macrophages are associated with the oncogenesis and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma
AU - Kouketsu, A.
AU - Sato, I.
AU - Oikawa, Mariko
AU - Shimizu, Y.
AU - Saito, Haruka
AU - Tashiro, K.
AU - Yamashita, Y.
AU - Takahashi, Tetsu
AU - Kumamoto, H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2019/10
Y1 - 2019/10
N2 - Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) contribute to the tumour microenvironment by inhibiting anti-tumour immune responses. This study was performed to investigate the roles of Tregs and TAMs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral epithelial precursor lesions (OEPL). The expression of Treg markers CD25 and FoxP3 and TAM markers CD163 and CD204 was investigated in 82 OSCC and 45 OEPL specimens, and their associations with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Correlations were found among CD25, FoxP3, CD163, and CD204 levels (P < 0.001), and these targets were up-regulated in OSCC compared to OEPL (P < 0.001). In OSCC, infiltration of Tregs and/or M2 TAMs was associated with sex and clinicopathological features, such as tumour size, nodal metastasis, tissue differentiation, stromal reaction, invasive behaviour, and invasive depth. In OEPL, CD25, FoxP3, CD163, and CD204 immunoreactivities were significantly associated with sex, postoperative recurrence, and cancerization to OSCC. This study is novel in showing that the infiltration of Tregs and M2 TAMs is significantly associated with the progression of premalignant lesions to OSCC. This suggests that these cells represent prognostic biomarkers for premalignant lesion progression and that immunotherapeutic approaches to control Treg/M2 TAM numbers could protect against progression to malignancy.
AB - Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) contribute to the tumour microenvironment by inhibiting anti-tumour immune responses. This study was performed to investigate the roles of Tregs and TAMs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral epithelial precursor lesions (OEPL). The expression of Treg markers CD25 and FoxP3 and TAM markers CD163 and CD204 was investigated in 82 OSCC and 45 OEPL specimens, and their associations with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Correlations were found among CD25, FoxP3, CD163, and CD204 levels (P < 0.001), and these targets were up-regulated in OSCC compared to OEPL (P < 0.001). In OSCC, infiltration of Tregs and/or M2 TAMs was associated with sex and clinicopathological features, such as tumour size, nodal metastasis, tissue differentiation, stromal reaction, invasive behaviour, and invasive depth. In OEPL, CD25, FoxP3, CD163, and CD204 immunoreactivities were significantly associated with sex, postoperative recurrence, and cancerization to OSCC. This study is novel in showing that the infiltration of Tregs and M2 TAMs is significantly associated with the progression of premalignant lesions to OSCC. This suggests that these cells represent prognostic biomarkers for premalignant lesion progression and that immunotherapeutic approaches to control Treg/M2 TAM numbers could protect against progression to malignancy.
KW - oral cancer
KW - oral epithelial precursor lesions
KW - regulatory T cell
KW - squamous cell carcinoma
KW - tumour-associated macrophage
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85064871581&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ijom.2019.04.004
DO - 10.1016/j.ijom.2019.04.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 31053518
AN - SCOPUS:85064871581
SN - 0901-5027
VL - 48
SP - 1279
EP - 1288
JO - International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
JF - International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
IS - 10
ER -
