title: Increased prevalence of T(H)17 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was performed to determine whether T(H)17 cells are involved in the development and metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  T(H)17 cells frequencies in 67 HNSCC patients and 21 healthy volunteers were examined by flow cytometric analysis. T(H)17 cell-related cytokines in serum (interleukin (IL) 17, transforming growth factor (TGF) β, and IL-6) were evaluated by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was discovered that the higher frequency of T(H)17 cells was in HNSCCs patients (1.0 ± 0.4%). The cell proportions and related cytokine concentrations were consistent with the tumor TNM stage. The IL-6 concentration showed positive correlation with the frequency of T(H)17 cells (r = 0.661) and IL-17 levels (r = 0.597). The TGF-β concentration showed a positive correlation with IL-17 (r = 0.626) but no relationship with T(H)17 cells (r = 0.431).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present data suggested that T(H)17 cells may be involved in tumor growth and metastasis of HNSCCs. IL-6 may play an important role in T(H)17 cell differentiation and functions, and TGF-β may be related to IL-17 secretion but not to the differentiation of T(H)17 cells.
authors: State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology, Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Li
authors: Yifang
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: Wenfeng
authors: W
authors: Zhang
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D020381:Interleukin-17; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta