title: Interleukins 7 and 12 are expressed in head and neck squamous cancer.
abstract: Interleukin 7 (IL-7) and IL-12 have major roles in cell-mediated tumour immunity. In head and neck squamous cell cancer, depressed cell-mediated immunity is well documented and may account for the poor prognosis. This is the first study to assess intratumour expression of IL-7 and IL-12 in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). Immunohistochemistry was used to identify IL-7 and IL-12 expression in snap-frozen tumour specimens from 25 patients with HNSCC and the results of immunohistochemical staining were semiquantitatively graded. Both IL-7 and IL-12 were expressed in all tumour samples and expression was not related to tumour stage or site. A trend towards better survival was associated with high expression of IL-7 and IL-12, this being more pronounced with IL 7. The universal expression suggests that the depressed cell-mediated immunity in HNSCC is not caused by reduced production of IL-7 and IL-12. Further studies with larger cohorts, especially of IL-7, are certainly warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Bristol, UK. vinidpa@hotmail.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Paleri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pulimood
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birchall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015851:Interleukin-7 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015851:Interleukin-7; D018664:Interleukin-12