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Pericyte in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

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Abstract

The microenvironment of oral cancer is highly dynamic and has been proved to affect tumor progression. Pericytes are blood vessels surrounding cells that have recently gained attention for their roles in vascular and cancer biology. The objective of the present study was to survey the scientific literature for conclusive evidence about whether pericytes are part of blood vessels in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their roles in the tumor microenvironment and clinical outcomes. A systematic electronic search was undertaken in Medline Ovid, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Eligibility criteria were: publications adopting in vivo models of OSCC that included pericyte detection and assessment by pericyte markers (e.g., α-smooth muscle actin, neuron-glial antigen 2 and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β). The search yielded seven eligible studies (from 2008 to 2018). The markers most commonly used for pericyte detection were α-smooth muscle actin and neuron-glial antigen 2. The studies reviewed showed the presence of immature vessels exhibiting a reduction of pericyte coverage in OSCC and indicated that anti-cancer therapies could contribute to vessel normalization and pericyte regain. The pericyte population is significantly affected during OSCC development and cancer therapy. While these findings might suggest a role for pericytes in OSCC progression, the limited data available do not allow us to conclude whether they modify the tumor microenvironment and clinical outcome.

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Acknowledgements

Research supported by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). T.A.S. and L.G.A. are research fellows of CNPq. I.B.V. and L.F.S. are the recipients of a fellowship granted by the Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—Brazil (CAPES, Finance code 001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Isabella Bittencourt Valle, Lauren Frenzel Schuch, Janine Mayra da Silva & Tarcília Aparecida Silva

  2. Department of Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Alfonso Gala-García

  3. Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Ivana Márcia Alves Diniz

  4. Department of Pathology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Alexander Birbrair

  5. Department of Child’s and Adolescent’s Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

    Lucas Guimarães Abreu

  6. Department of Oral Surgery and Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Pres. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Room 3105. Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, CEP: 31.270-901, Brazil

    Tarcília Aparecida Silva

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  1. Isabella Bittencourt Valle
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Valle, I.B., Schuch, L.F., da Silva, J.M. et al. Pericyte in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review. Head and Neck Pathol 14, 1080–1091 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12105-020-01188-2

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