Immunochemoradiotherapy for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: augmentation of OK-432-induced helper T cell 1 response by 5-FU and X-ray irradiation

Neoplasia. 2013 Jul;15(7):805-14. doi: 10.1593/neo.13488.

Abstract

Eighty-one patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) received oral fluoropyrimidine UFT and radiotherapy (RT) with or without an immunotherapeutic agent OK-432. Both overall survival and progression-free survival of patients who received RT + UFT + OK-432 were significantly longer than those of patients who received RT + UFT (P = .0075 and P = .0175, respectively). Clinical response was also more favorable in RT + UFT + OK-432 group than in RT + UFT group (P = .0066). Next, in vitro experiments were conducted to examine the effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and X-ray irradiation in OK-432-induced immunity. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with OK-432 produced helper T cell 1 (Th1)-type cytokines as well as interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which are produced by Th2 and regulatory T cells (Tregs), respectively, and are inhibitory in antitumor immunity. OK-432-induced IL-10 and TGF-β but not Th1 cytokines were significantly inhibited by 5-FU and/or X-ray. 5-FU and X-ray also inhibited the expression of mRNAs for GATA-3 and Foxp3, which are transcription factors for Th2 and Tregs, respectively, but not for T-bet, a transcription factor for Th1. In addition, 5-FU and X-ray decreased the expression of mRNAs for suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) and SOCS3. Antisense oligonucleotides for SOCS1 and SOCS3 markedly reduced OK-432-induced IL-10 and TGF-β. This is the first report clearly demonstrating that OK-432-based immunotherapy significantly enhanced the therapeutic effects of chemoradiotherapy in patients with OSCC as well as elucidating the mechanism of the synergistic effect of immunochemoradiotherapy in which 5-FU and radiation enhanced OK-432-induced Th1 response mediated by the inhibition of SOCS1 and SOCS3 gene expression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / radiotherapy*
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Female
  • Fluorouracil / pharmacology
  • Fluorouracil / therapeutic use*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / immunology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / mortality
  • Mouth Neoplasms / pathology
  • Mouth Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Picibanil / pharmacology
  • Picibanil / therapeutic use*
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / drug effects
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / drug effects
  • Th2 Cells / immunology
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • SOCS1 protein, human
  • SOCS3 protein, human
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 3 Protein
  • Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling Proteins
  • Transcription Factors
  • Picibanil
  • Fluorouracil