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Cytokines secreted by inflamed oral mucosa: implications for oral cancer progression

Oncogene volume 42, pages 1159–1165 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

The oral mucosa has an essential role in protecting against physical, microbial, and chemical harm. Compromise of this barrier triggers a wound healing response. Key events in this response such as immune infiltration, re-epithelialization, and stroma remodeling are coordinated by cytokines that promote cellular migration, invasion, and proliferation. Cytokine-mediated cellular invasion and migration are also essential features in cancer dissemination. Therefore, exploration of cytokines that regulate each stage of oral wound healing will provide insights about cytokines that are exploited by oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to promote tumor development and progression. This will aid in identifying potential therapeutic targets to constrain SCC recurrence and increase patient survival. In this review, we discuss cytokines that overlap in oral wounds and SCC, emphasizing how these cytokines promote cancer progression.

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Fig. 1: Tumor progression and wound healing in the oral mucosa are regulated by overlapping cytokines.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIDCR R35-DE027551 (NJD), NCI R01- CA250214 (NJD), NIDCR T32-DE007057 (EBD), and NIDCR F30-DE03194001 (EBD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Periodontics and Oral Medicine, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1011 N. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Erika B. Danella, Marcell Costa de Medeiros & Nisha J. D’Silva

  2. Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Nisha J. D’Silva

  3. Rogel Cancer Center, 1500 E Medical Center Dr, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Nisha J. D’Silva

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  1. Erika B. Danella
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EBD, MCM, and NJD all contributed to the concept and design of the work as well as critical revision of the article. EBD drafted the article and MCM contributed to figure design. All authors gave final approval of the submission to be published.

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Correspondence to Nisha J. D’Silva.

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Danella, E.B., Costa de Medeiros, M. & D’Silva, N.J. Cytokines secreted by inflamed oral mucosa: implications for oral cancer progression. Oncogene 42, 1159–1165 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-023-02649-y

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