ONCOmmunity

Role of Neurokinin 3 Receptor Signaling in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

By: Kyoichi Obata, Tsuyoshi Shimo, Tatsuo Okui, Kenichi Matsumoto, Hiroyuki Takada, Kiyofumi Takabatake, Yuki Kunisada, Soichiro Ibaragi, Norie Yoshioka, Koji Kishimoto, Hitoshi Nagatsuka, Akira Sasaki

Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
2017-06-23; doi: 10.21873/anticanres.12060

Abstract

Background/aim

The neurokinin 3 receptor (NK-3R) is differentially expressed in the central nervous system including cases of human oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the role of NK-3R signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma is not well known.

Materials

NK-3R expression in surgically resected oral squamous cell carcinoma was examined immunohistochemically and the strength of the expression was quantified. We evaluated the function of NK-3R signaling using NK-3R antagonist in human oral squamous cell carcinoma bone invasion mouse model.

Results

NK-3R was significantly expressed in tumor cells that had invaded the bone matrix compared to the oral side tumor cells. SB222200, a selective antagonist of NK-3R, significantly suppressed the radiographic osteolytic lesion and tumorigenesis.

Conclusion

NK-3R signaling is a potential target for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cases of bone destruction.