背景:核苷酸结合域样受体蛋白3(NLRP3),一个炎性体,据报道在慢性炎症中失调或异常表达,导致无数的炎症性疾病,自身免疫性疾病,和癌症。本研究旨在探讨NLRP3蛋白和分泌的细胞因子IL-β1在口腔鳞状细胞癌(OSCC)及潜在恶性口腔疾病(PMOD)中的表达及作用。
方法:采用夹心ELISA对30例OSCC组织中NLRP3的表达进行定量,PMOD,和正常的口腔粘膜。还通过ELISA测量血清IL-β1水平以确定它们的相关性。在手术治疗的OSCC病例中,病理参数,如肿瘤大小,入侵深度(DOI)pTNM阶段,神经周和淋巴管浸润进行评估,并与NLRP3和IL-β1水平相关,以研究它们在肿瘤进展中的作用,入侵,和转移。
结果:OSCC组织中NLRP3表达显著升高,在OSCC和PMOD病例的血清中均观察到显着的IL-β1水平。两种标志物均显示出随着发育不良的严重程度而明显增加,表明有很强的关联性(p=0.003%)。组织NLRP3和血清IL-β1的表达水平与DOI和肿瘤大小呈正相关。此外,他们升高的水平,除了较高的组织学分级,表明在肿瘤细胞的去分化和进展中的作用。
结论:结果表明,PMOD中NLRP3和IL-β1的表达增加与较高的转化率相关,随着OSCC的肿瘤进展和去分化。因此,这些标志物有望成为预后评估的有价值的目标,诊断,以及OSCC的治疗策略。
BACKGROUND: Nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), an inflammasome, is reported to be dysregulated or aberrantly expressed in chronic inflammation, leading to a myriad of inflammatory disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. This study aimed to explore the expression and role of NLRP3 protein and the secreted cytokine IL-β1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and potentially malignant oral disorders (PMOD).
METHODS: Tissue NLRP3 expression was quantified using sandwich ELISA in 30 cases each of OSCC, PMOD, and normal oral mucosa. Serum IL-β1 level was also measured by ELISA to determine their correlation. In surgically treated OSCC cases, pathological parameters such as tumor size, depth of invasion (DOI), pTNM stage, and perineural & lymphovascular invasion were assessed and correlated with NLRP3 & IL-β1 levels to investigate their roles in tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis.
RESULTS: Tissue NLRP3 expression was markedly elevated in OSCC, with significant IL-β1 levels observed in the serum of both OSCC and PMOD cases. Both markers showed a pronounced increase with the severity of dysplasia, indicating a strong association (p = 0.003%). The expression levels of tissue NLRP3 and serum IL-β1 were positively correlated with DOI and tumor size. Furthermore, their elevated levels, alongside higher histological grades, indicate roles in the dedifferentiation and progression of tumor cells.
CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated that increased expression of NLRP3 and IL-β1 in PMOD correlates with higher transformation rates, along with tumor progression and dedifferentiation in OSCC. Consequently, these markers hold promise as valuable targets for prognostic assessment, diagnostics, and therapeutic strategies in OSCC.