CXCL12 and CXCR4, but not CXCR7, are primarily expressed by the stroma in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Issue 1 (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Clatot, Florian; Cornic, Marie; Berghian, Anca; Marchand, Vinciane; Choussy, Olivier; El Ouakif, Faissal; François, Arnaud; Ruminy, Philippe; Laberge-Le-Couteulx, Sophie; Picquenot, Jean-Michel; Jardin, Fabrice
• Is Part Of: Pathology. Volume 47:Issue 1(2015:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Pathology -- Periodicals; 616.0705
• DOI: 10.1097/PAT.0000000000000191
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-3025

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec> <title>Summary</title> <p>The CXCL12/CXCR4 axis is involved in numerous models of metastatic dissemination, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We assessed the relative expressions of <italic>CXCL12</italic>, <italic>CXCR4</italic> and <italic>CXCR7</italic> in the stroma and the tumour of HNSCC, and evaluated the methylation status of the <italic>CXCL12</italic> promoter.</p> <p>Snap-frozen, HPV negative HNSCC samples were micro-dissected to isolate the tumoural and stromal compartments. The expression levels of <italic>CXCL12</italic>, <italic>CXCR4</italic> and <italic>CXCR7</italic> were assessed by qRT-PCR, and the methylation level of the <italic>CXCL12</italic> promoter was evaluated by pyrosequencing.</p> <p>In total, 23 matched tumour/stroma samples were analysed. Higher expressions of <italic>CXCR4</italic> and <italic>CXCL12</italic> were observed in the stroma (<italic>p</italic> = 0.012 and <italic>p</italic> < 0.0001, respectively). No significant difference in expression was observed for <italic>CXCR7.</italic> A high methylation level (>40%) of the <italic>CXCL12</italic> promoter was observed in only a few tumoural samples (5/23) and was associated with a lower expression of the gene (<italic>p</italic> = 0.03).</p> <p>Stromal cells, rather than the tumour itself, are mainly responsible for the expression of both <italic>CXCL12</italic> and <italic>CXCR4</italic> expression in HNSCC. <italic>CXCR7</italic> expression did not differ between the two compartments and was not related to <italic>CXCL12</italic> or <italic>CXCR4</italic> expression. Finally, the methylation of the <italic>CXCL12</italic> promoter could only explain the low intra-tumoural expression of this gene in 20% of cases.</p> </sec> </abstract>