title: Induction of c-Myc-dependent cell proliferation through toll-like receptor 3 in head and neck cancer.
abstract: Protein expression of human toll-like receptors (TLR) 1-10 was measured in cell lines and solid tumors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). All HNSCC cell lines and 80% of solid tumors were found to express TLR3 as a predominantly intracellular protein, while no other TLR proteins were expressed. TLR3 has previously been shown to contribute to the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), a transcription factor which promotes several types of human cancers. Significantly, NF-kappaB expression was strongest in protein extracts from carcinoma tissue in which TLR3 was overexpressed. Inhibition of TLR3 expression in permanent HNSCC cell lines resulted in decreased expression of the oncoprotein c-Myc resulting in decreased cell proliferation. Correspondingly, overexpression of human TLR3 in mouse fibroblasts resulted in an upregulation of c-Myc and increased sensitivity for PolyI:C-induced cell proliferation. Our data suggest that TLR3 contributes to the malignant phenotype leading to invasive carcinoma in HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck, D-23538 Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pries
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hogrefe
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Henning
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frenzel
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brocks
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ditz
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wollenberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D042541:Intracellular Space / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C495344:TLR3 protein, human; D051196:Toll-Like Receptor 3