S100 proteins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (Review)

Yihong Hu; Yucheng Han; Minhui He; Yanqun Zhang; Xianqiong Zou

doi:10.3892/ol.2023.13948

S100 proteins in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (Review)

Oncol Lett. 2023 Jul 6;26(2):362. doi: 10.3892/ol.2023.13948. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Authors

Yihong Hu^{1

2}, Yucheng Han^{1

2}, Minhui He^{1

2}, Yanqun Zhang³, Xianqiong Zou^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Affiliated Stomatology Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, P.R. China.
² School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guilin Medical University, Guilin, Guangxi 541100, P.R. China.
³ Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410008, P.R. China.

Abstract

The most common tumor affecting the head and neck is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The characteristics of HNSCC include a rapid onset, a lack of early diagnosis, drug resistance, relapse and systemic adverse effects, leading to inadequate prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Notably, previous research suggests that there is an association between S100 proteins and HNSCC. S100A8, S100A9 and S100A14 interfere with tumor cell proliferation by blocking the cell cycle. The present review discusses this association. S100A4 enhances cancer stem cell properties, and interacts with actin and tropomyosin to promote tumor cell migration. S100A1, S100A8, S100A9, S100A10, S100A14 and S100P are involved in the initiation and progression of HNSCC via Hippo, nuclear factor κB, phosphatidylinositol kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin and other signaling pathways. In addition, certain long non-coding RNAs and microRNAs are involved in regulating the expression of S100 proteins in HNSCC. Reducing the expression of certain members of the S100 protein family may enhance the chemosensitivity of HNSCC. Collectively, it is suggested that S100 proteins may function as markers and targets for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC.

Keywords: S100 proteins; head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; human papillomavirus; oral squamous cell carcinoma; pathogenesis.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The present study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (nos. 81760490 and 82160185), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi (no. 2017GXNSFAA198239) and the Innovation Project of Guangxi Graduate Education (no. YCSW2023426).