Chemerin promotes invasion of oral squamous cell carcinoma by stimulating IL-6 and TNF-α production via STAT3 activation

© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V..

AIMS: Elevated levels of adipokine chemerin have been identified in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and found to be associated with metastasis to the cervical lymph nodes. The underlying mechanism through which chemerin affects OSCC progression is unclear. The aims of this study were firstly to determine chemerin levels and cytokine concentrations in serum from patients with OSCC and in OSCC cell cultures, and secondly to observe chemerin effects on OSCC cell cytokine secretion, migration, and invasion in vitro.

METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 20 patients diagnosed with OSCC, including groups with (LN+) and without (LN-) cervical lymph node metastasis. A Luminex liquid suspension assay was used to quantify serum concentrations of 27 types of cytokines. Correlations between chemerin and cytokines (i.e., IL-6, IL-15, GM-CSF, RANTES, TNF-α, and VEGF) were analyzed. ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) were used to determine concentrations of chemerin and selected cytokines in serum and in supernatants of OSCC cell cultures (SCC9 and SCC25 cell lines). OSCC cells were stimulated with human recombinant chemerin, STAT3 inhibitor, or IL-6 together with TNF-α neutralizing antibodies. Phosphorylated STAT3 protein levels were measured with western blot analysis. OSCC cell migration and invasion were investigated with Transwell assays.

RESULTS: Compared to the LN- group, OSCC patients with cervical lymph node metastasis had higher levels of IL-6 (P = 0.006), IL-15 (P = 0.020), GM-CSF (P = 0.036), RANTES (P = 0.032), TNF-α (P = 0.005), VEGF (P = 0.006), and chemerin (P = 0.001). Patients' serum chemerin levels correlated directly with IL-6, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and VEGF levels in OSCC patients. Exogenous recombinant chemerin treatment promoted secretion of IL-6 and TNF-α via activation of STAT3 in OSCC cells. Chemerin induced OSCC-cell migration and invasion, and these effects were reduced by IL-6 and TNF-α neutralizing antibodies.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that chemerin may play a role in advancing OSCC progression by increasing production of IL-6 and TNF-α, perhaps via a mechanism involving STAT3 signaling.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:51

Enthalten in:

Molecular biology reports - 51(2024), 1 vom: 23. März, Seite 436

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Lu, Zhiyuan [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Jiayu [VerfasserIn]
Wan, Quan [VerfasserIn]
Wu, Yu [VerfasserIn]
Wu, Wanqiu [VerfasserIn]
Chen, Yiyang [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

83869-56-1
Antibodies, Neutralizing
Chemerin
Chemokines
Cytokines
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
IL-6
Interleukin-15
Interleukin-6
Journal Article
Metastasis
OSCC
RARRES2 protein, human
STAT3 Transcription Factor
STAT3 protein, human
TNF-α
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 25.03.2024

Date Revised 17.04.2024

published: Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1007/s11033-024-09359-y

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM370101154