Open Access

CXCL12 is associated with FoxP3+ tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes and affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

  • Authors:
    • Bowen Zhang
    • Chenzhou Wu
    • Zhuoyuan Zhang
    • Kaixiao Yan
    • Chunjie Li
    • Yi Li
    • Longjiang Li
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: May 30, 2019     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2019.10415
  • Pages: 1099-1106
  • Copyright: © Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

Metrics: Total Views: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )
Total PDF Downloads: 0 (Spandidos Publications: | PMC Statistics: )


Abstract

The role of tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) suggests that cancer is a disease with not only a genetic, but also an immunological basis. Additionally, immune cell infiltration is an important feature of oral cancer. C‑X‑C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) serves an important role in immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, the present study investigated how CXCL12 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) was associated with clinicopathological parameters and TILs distribution. Complete CXCL12, TIL and clinical data were available for 45 patients with oral cancer treated by surgery. Expression levels of CXCL12, CD8+ TILs and forkhead box P3 (FoxP3+) TILs were assessed by immunohistochemistry in OSCC samples. CXCL12 expression in OSCC cells was observed in 32 (68.9%) cases and was associated with poor differentiation (P=0.045), advanced stages (P<0.001), tumor recurrence (P=0.011), poor overall survival (P=0.0476) and a higher density of FoxP3+ TILs (P<0.001). The CD8+/FoxP3+ ratio was lower in patients with poor differentiation (P=0.034), advanced stage tumors (P=0.015) and tumor recurrence (P=0.002). In addition, the ratio of CD8+/FoxP3+ TILs was significantly associated with the 5‑year overall survival rate (P<0.001). The CD8+/FoxP3+ ratio was indicated to be a stronger prognostic indicator compared with the density of FoxP3+ TILs or CD8+ TILs. The present study identified an association between increased CXCL12 expression and FoxP3+ cell infiltration in OSCC. Targeting the CXCL12/C‑X‑C motif chemokine receptor 4 axis in OSCC may be employed as a novel strategy of tumor immunotherapy in the future.
View Figures
View References

Related Articles

Journal Cover

August-2019
Volume 18 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

Sign up for eToc alerts

Recommend to Library

Copy and paste a formatted citation
x
Spandidos Publications style
Zhang B, Wu C, Zhang Z, Yan K, Li C, Li Y and Li L: CXCL12 is associated with FoxP3+ tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes and affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 18: 1099-1106, 2019.
APA
Zhang, B., Wu, C., Zhang, Z., Yan, K., Li, C., Li, Y., & Li, L. (2019). CXCL12 is associated with FoxP3+ tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes and affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncology Letters, 18, 1099-1106. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2019.10415
MLA
Zhang, B., Wu, C., Zhang, Z., Yan, K., Li, C., Li, Y., Li, L."CXCL12 is associated with FoxP3+ tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes and affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma". Oncology Letters 18.2 (2019): 1099-1106.
Chicago
Zhang, B., Wu, C., Zhang, Z., Yan, K., Li, C., Li, Y., Li, L."CXCL12 is associated with FoxP3+ tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes and affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma". Oncology Letters 18, no. 2 (2019): 1099-1106. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2019.10415