Relationship between aggressive features of oral squamous cell carcinoma and the immunoexpression of CX3CR1, CX3CL1 and ITGAV

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to describe the association between CX3CR1, CX3CL1 and ITGAV immunoexpression with PNI and adverse oncological outcomes in OSCC patients. Study design: Expression CX3CR1, CX3CL1 and ITGAV was assessed by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 50 paraffin-embedded resections of OSCC. Survival analysis, Cox, and binary logistic regressions were undertaken to determine the impact on patient survival and predictive value for PNI. Results: CX3CL1 positive nerves exhibited a significant association with tumor budding (TB) (p=0.043), whereas nerves positive for ITGAV were associated with PNI (p=0.021), T3-T4 tumor size (p=0.029), and III-IV stage (p=0.044). Cases with ITGAV-positive nerves exhibited an odds ratio of 9.603 (p=0.008) for PNI, while cases with CX3CL1-positive nerves exhibited and odds ratio of 4.682 (p=0.033) for TB. A trend towards decreased 5-year overall survival (p=0.078) and 5-year disease-specific survival (p=0.09) was observed in relation to ITGAV-positive nerves. However, no independent predictors for poor survival were identified. Conclusion: The expression of ITGAV was associated with PNI and advanced disease, while the expression of CX3CL1 was related to TB, suggesting that ITGAV and CX3CL1 are involved in their respective developments. Therefore, further investigations are encouraged to assess the potential utility of targeted therapies against CX3CL1 receptors in OSCC.