Role of Human Microbiome in Development and Management of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Despite decades of research, cancer remains a major global health problem [...].

Keywords: HNSCC; chemotherapy; head and neck; immunotherapy; microbiome; radiotherapy; tumor microenvironment.

Figure 1

F. nucleatum promotes cancerogenesis via interaction of LPS with TLR4 on epithelial cells, which leads to overexpression of cytokines and ROS via NF-κB signal pathway activation. Abbreviations: LPS—lipopolysaccharide, TLR4—Toll-like receptor 4, NF-κB—Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells, TNF-α—tumor necrosis factor alpha, ROS—reactive oxygen species.

Figure 2

F. nucleatum promotes cancer cell proliferation via phosphorylation of CDH1. Abbreviations: HNSCC—head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, pCDH1—phosphorylated cadherin 1.

Figure 3

F. nucleatum promotes OSCC tissue colonization, proliferation, invasiveness, and migration and suppresses local immune response. Abbreviations: Gal-GalNAc—galactose- and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine, TLR4—Toll-like receptor 4, IL-6—interleukin 6, STAT3—signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, MMPs—metalloproteinases, TIGIT—T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domain, NK-cell—natural killer cell.