ANALYSIS OF CYTOKINE GENE-EXPRESSION IN SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE HEAD AND NECK

Cytokine production in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and n eck may directly influence the clinical behavior of this aggressive ne oplasm since cytokines act as autocrine/paracrine growth factors, as w ell as immunomodulators. In the present study, the cytokine profiles o f 16 SCCs of the head and neck and matched autologous, noncancerous mu cosa were determined and compared to normal oral mucosa. Cytokine gene expression in noncancerous mucosa was similar to normal oral mucosa. Levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) mR NA expression were significantly increased in SCC relative to the mean +/- 2 SD of noncancerous mucosa or normal mucosa (p<0.05). Immunohist ochemical analyses demonstrated that GM-CSF protein was produced by ep ithelial cells in the SCC. The overall mRNA expression relative to non cancerous-mucosa or normal mucosa of interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was not significantly increased in SCC, however, individual tumors did show selected increases in mRN A expression for these cytokines. These extensive differences in the l evels of cytokine mRNA expression could modulate interactions between the tumor cells and the corresponding host cells affecting the behavio r of head and neck SCC.