Tumor Microenvironment, HLA Class I and APM Expression in HPV-Negative Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been associated with an escape tumor cells from the host immune surveillance due to increased knowledge its underlying molecular mechanisms and modulation by microenvironment repertoire. In this study, expression HLA class I (HLA-I) antigens components antigen processing machinery (APM) was analyzed in 160 pathologically classified human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative OSCC lesions correlated intra-tumoral response, IFN-? signaling patient’s outcome. A heterogeneous but predominantly lower constitutive protein HLA-I APM found sections when compared non-neoplastic cells. Tumoral component further categorized into three major phenotypes HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh, HLA-Ilow/APMlow HLA-Idiscordant high/low/APMhigh. HLA-Ihigh/APMhigh group, highest frequency CD8+ T lowest number close FoxP3+ were found. Patients within group presented most unfavorable survival, which significantly evident stage T2 tumors. Despite a correlation cells, tumoral JAK1 as surrogate marker for not HLA-I/APM expression. Thus, findings strongly indicate presence additional factors involved immunomodulatory process HPV-negative possible tumor-burden-dependent complex network beyond infiltration entity.