The antileukoprotease secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and its role in the prevention of HPV-infections in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Issue 1 (1st February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Quabius, Elgar S.; Görögh, Tibor; Fischer, Gerrit S.; Hoffmann, Anna S.; Gebhard, Maximilian; Evert, Matthias; Beule, Achim; Maune, Steffen; Knecht, Rainald; Óvári, Attila; Durisin, Martin; Hoppe, Florian; Röcken, Christoph; Hedderich, Jürgen; Ambrosch, Petra; Hoffmann, Markus
• Is Part Of: Cancer letters. Volume 357:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 339
• Page End: 345
• Publication Date: 2015-02-01
• Subjects: SLPI -- Annexin A2 -- HNSCC -- HPV; Cancer -- Periodicals; Neoplasms -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.994
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2014.11.043
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0304-3835

Abstract

Highlights: The data confirm the association between SLPI/annexin A2, Smoking and HPV-infection. Worldwide first investigation of this kind. The HNSCC patient cohort represents the largest tested for these parameters ever. Smoking induced SLPI expression protects from HPV infections. Non-smokers are at risk of successful HPV infections due to low SLPI levels. Abstract: Recently, we demonstrated a significant inverse correlation between HPV-infection and SLPI-expression suggesting that SLPI protects against HPV-infection of HNSCC. Here we analyzed in a single lab setting 307 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded HNSCC cases (tonsillar n = 135; non-tonsillar: n = 172) from eight health care centers. Samples were analyzed for SLPI gene- and protein-expression. Annexin A2, its heterotetramer A2t, putatively facilitating HPV- and SLPI-cell entry, was measured to study the correlation between SLPI and annexin A2. Data were correlated with tobacco consumption and HPV-status. Overall, HPV-DNA prevalence was 23.5% (72/307); attributed to: 43.7% (59/135) tonsillar and 7.6% (13/172) non-tonsillar cases. Smoking resulted in 6.44-fold increased and HPV-infection in 3.46-fold decreased SLPI-gene expression in all HNSCC with similar significant results obtained in tonsillar and non-tonsillar SCC separately. Correlating annexin A2- and SLPI-gene expression showed a significant surplus of annexin A2 in HPV-positive tumors (4.21× more annexin A2) and 6.72× more annexin A2 than SLPI in nonsmokers in all HNSCCs and similar significant results for both tumor entities separately. The surplus of annexin A2 in non-smokers and HPV-positive patients supports our hypothesis that decreased SLPI levels facilitate HPV-infection i.e., increased SLPI-expression may protect against HPV-infection of tonsillar and non-tonsillar SCC.