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Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-associated cytokine expression in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and clinical significance

  • Laryngology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Th0 cells differentiate into Th1 or Th2 depending on multiple transcription factors acting on specific time points to regulate gene expression. Th17 cells, a subset of IL-17-producing T cells distinct from Th1 or Th2 cells, have been described as key players in inflammation and autoimmune diseases as well as cancer development. In the present study, 53 patients with hypopharyngeal cancer were included. The expression levels of Th1-, Th2- and Th17-associated cytokines in hypopharyngeal cancer tissues and pericarcinoma tissues were detected. The relationship between Th1, Th2, or Th17 infiltration and metastasis was studied. Our results showed that the mRNA and protein expressions of Th1 cytokines were lower, while the expressions of Th2 and Th17 cytokines were higher in tumor tissues, and the intensity of expression was strengthened with clinical stage increasing. Cancer tissues had higher level expressions of Th2 and Th17 cytokines than that of pericarcinoma tissues. From the above data, we speculated that high expressions of Th2- and Th17-associated cytokines in hypopharyngeal carcinoma may contribute to cancer development and metastasis.

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Acknowledgments

The present study was supported by grants from the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (No. ZR2013HL028, ZR2010CM067), Shandong Province Outstanding Young Scientist Award Fund (No. BS2009SW007), the Special Research Foundation of Large Scientific Instruments on Upgrading and Technological Transformation of Shandong Province (No. 2013SJGZ09) and the Seed Foundation of the Second Hospital of Shandong University (No. S2013010021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, 247 Beiyuan Avenue, Jinan, 250033, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Xuemei Chen

  2. Institute of Basic Medicine, Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, 18877 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250062, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Junfu Wang, Qinghong Su, Junwen Luan, Haiyan Huang, Peng Zhou, Jinsheng Liu & Xiaoqun Xu

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, Heze Municipal Hospital, Heze, 274000, Shandong, People’s Republic of China

    Rui Wang

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  1. Xuemei Chen
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  2. Junfu Wang
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Correspondence to Xuemei Chen or Xiaoqun Xu.

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Chen, X., Wang, J., Wang, R. et al. Th1-, Th2-, and Th17-associated cytokine expression in hypopharyngeal carcinoma and clinical significance. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 273, 431–438 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3779-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3779-2

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