Abstract
Several epidemiological studies have investigated the relation between allergy and cancer with contradicting conclusions, and reports on immunological differences are scarce. By focusing on inflammation, the present study was designed to compare the immune response induced by allergic rhinitis (AR) and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Blood and serum was obtained from patients with symptomatic seasonal AR, and newly detected HNSCC, as well as healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were isolated and cultured with or without the toll-like receptor ligands, Pam3CSK4, LPS, R837, and CpG. Cellular activation and cytokine release were assessed with ELISA, Luminex Multiplex Immunoassay, flow cytometry, and real-time RT-PCR. Sera from HNSCC patients showed elevated levels of innate immune cytokines, and exhibited a response profile consistent with an increased innate immune reaction. In contrast, sera and stimulated PBMC from AR patients displayed increased concentrations of T cell related cytokines, consistent with an adaptive immune response. The presented data demonstrate that AR and HNSCC induce two distinct immunological processes, indicating an inverse association between the immunological responses seen in patients with allergy and cancer of the upper airway.
Highlights
The existence of a possible association between allergic airway inflammation and cancer has been debated over the past several years
Cytokines involved in innate inflammation, IL-1b, IL-17, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1b, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), all showed a suggestive tendency to be increased in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients as compared to allergic rhinitis (AR) patients
The tumorigenic immune response is dominated by an innate immune reaction, and by suppressed T cells, whereas the allergic reaction is characterized by an adaptive response with enhanced activation of T cells
Summary
The existence of a possible association between allergic airway inflammation and cancer has been debated over the past several years. The adaptive immune system, especially T cells, is important in cancer [7]. Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have been demonstrated to have a shift towards the pro-tumorigenic Th2 response that inhibits the anti-tumor activity of the Th1 reaction [8,9]. The innate immune system is interposed as a bridge between the external environment and the adaptive system [10]. The present study focus on differences in the immunological reactions seen during ongoing allergic rhinitis (AR) and early stages of still untreated HNSCC, with focus on effects induced by external TLR stimulation. The cytokine profile was investigated, and IL-6 and IL-8, secreted by activated innate immune cells, were analyzed
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