Evaluation of Proinflammatory, NF-kappaB Dependent Cytokines: IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in Tissue Specimens and Saliva of Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders

Karolina Babiuch; Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala; Barbara Kęsek; Krzysztof Okoń; Dagmara Darczuk; Maria Chomyszyn-Gajewska

doi:10.3390/jcm9030867

Evaluation of Proinflammatory, NF-kappaB Dependent Cytokines: IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in Tissue Specimens and Saliva of Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders

J Clin Med. 2020 Mar 21;9(3):867. doi: 10.3390/jcm9030867.

Authors

Karolina Babiuch¹, Beata Kuśnierz-Cabala², Barbara Kęsek¹, Krzysztof Okoń³, Dagmara Darczuk¹, Maria Chomyszyn-Gajewska¹

Affiliations

¹ Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Dentistry, Chair and Department of Periodontology and Clinical Oral Pathology, Montelupich 4, 31-155 Krakow, Poland.
² Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Clinical Biochemistry, Department of Diagnostics, Kopernika 15A, 31-501 Krakow, Poland.
³ Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Medicine, Chair of Pathomorphology, Grzegórzecka 16, 31-531 Krakow, Poland.

Abstract

Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a life-threatening disease. It could be preceded by oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). It was confirmed that chronic inflammation can promote carcinogenesis. Cytokines play a crucial role in this process. The aim of the study was to evaluate interleukin-1alpha (IL-1α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in tissue specimens and saliva of patients with OSCC and OPMDs.

Methods: Cytokines were evaluated in 60 tissue specimens of pathological lesions (OSCCs or OPMDs) and in 7 controls (normal oral mucosa, NOM) by immunohistochemistry and in saliva of 45 patients with OSCC or OPMDs and 9 controls (healthy volunteers) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed significantly higher expression of IL-8 in OSCC specimens and TNF-α in OSCCs and OPMDs with dysplasia as compared to NOM. Moreover, expression of TNF-α was significantly higher in oral leukoplakia and oral lichen planus without dysplasia, whereas expression of IL-8 only in oral leukoplakia without dysplasia in comparison with NOM. Salivary concentrations of all evaluated cytokines were significantly higher in patients with OSCC than in controls. Moreover, levels of IL-8 were significantly higher in saliva of patients with OPMDs with dysplasia as compared to controls and in OSCC patients as compared to patients with dysplastic lesions. There was also significant increase in salivary concentrations of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in patients with OSCC as compared to patients with OPMDs without dysplasia.

Conclusion: The study confirmed that proinflammatory, NF-kappaB dependent cytokines are involved in pathogenesis of OPMDs and OSCC. The most important biomarker of malignant transformation process within oral mucosa among all assessed cytokines seems to be IL-8. Further studies on a larger sample size are needed to corroborate these results.

Keywords: biomarkers; cytokines; inflammation; oral potentially malignant disorders; oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

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