title: Comparison of surface HLA class I levels in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines of the head and neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) are the most frequent malignancies in this region. Down-regulation of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I was found to be implicated in the immune escape of these tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cell surface expression levels of several HLA class I antigens were evaluated in 21 SCCHN cell lines utilizing FACS analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression levels of HLA-antigens varied significantly between the investigated cell lines. On average higher HLA-B27 expression levels were observed in cell lines from younger and female patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data confirms down-regulation of HLA class I to be an important event in SCCHN. However, since several SCCHN cell lines also exhibited high HLA levels, other mechanisms than HLA down-regulation also need to be considered as a cause for disease progression. Further studies will be required to elucidate the potential role of HLA-B27 in SCCHN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Philipps University Marburg, Deutschhausstrasse 3, D-35037 Marburg, Germany. mandic@mailer.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandic
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lieder
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sadowski
authors.forename: Roswitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peldszus
authors.forename: Jochen A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Werner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015796:HLA-B27 Antigen