title: Focus on the role of the CXCL12/CXCR4 chemokine axis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The human chemokine system includes approximately 48 chemokines and 19 chemokine receptors. The CXCL12/CXCR4 system is one of the most frequently studied that is also found overexpressed in a large variety of tumors. The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis has been increasingly identified as an important target in cancer growth, metastasis, relapse, and resistance to therapy. In this review, we highlight current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involving chemokines CXCL12/CXCR4 and their consequences in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Overexpression of CXCL12/CXCR4 in HNSCC appears to activate cellular functions, including motility, invasion, and metastatic processes. Current findings suggest that CXCR4 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers are associated with tumor aggressiveness and a poor prognosis, and may be suitable biomarkers for head and neck tumors with high metastatic potential. Furthermore, knowledge of the role of CXCR4 in HNSCC could influence the development of new targeted therapies for treatment, aimed at improving the prognosis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U728, RayLab, and Departments of Medical Oncology, Beaujon University Hospital (AP-HP, Paris 7 Diderot), Clichy, France; Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Bichat University Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.forename: Maria Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Riveiro
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Halimi
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hourseau
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Couvelard
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Serova
authors.forename: Béatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faivre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002465:Cell Movement; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D054377:Chemokine CXCL12; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4
keywords: SDF-1; epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; head and neck cancer; hypoxia; invasion; metastasis