VARIABLE EXPRESSION OF CYTOKINES IN HUMAN HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS-CELLCARCINOMA CELL-LINES AND CONSISTENT EXPRESSION IN SURGICAL SPECIMENS

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) are associated with ab normal cell-mediated immunity at the primary tumor site. We investigat ed tumor-derived cytokines as factors underlying such abnormalities. C ytokine mRNA and protein of eight HNSCC-derived cell lines were tested ; reverse transcription PCR results indicated the presence of mRNAs fo r interleukin 1 alpha(IL-1 alpha) and transforming growth factor alpha (8 of 8); transforming growth factor beta and IL-1 beta (7 of 8); and IL-4 and IL-6 (4 of 8). IL-2, IFN-gamma and tumor necrosis factor alp ha mRNA were not detected. Supernatants from sir of these cell lines w ere analyzed by ELISA; IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 were found to b e markedly increased compared to human papillomavirus-16-immortalized human oral keratinocytes. To determine whether the cell line findings are applicable to primary tumors, we performed immunohistochemical ana lysis on tumor specimens from 12 patients with invasive HNSCC. Univers al intracellular production of IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-6 protein was detected. We conclude that the aberrant elaboration of biological ly active IL-1 and IL-6 may contribute to altered immune status in HNS CC patients.