Evaluation of Mast Cell Density in the Tumor Microenvironment in Oral Epithelial Dysplasia and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare mast cell density (MCD) in oral epithelial dysplasias (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and determine its correlation with clinical and histopathologic parameters and the degree of tumor differentiation. Thirty OSCC samples, 14 OED samples, and 4 non-neoplastic oral mucosa samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry to determine MCD based on the expression of MC tryptase. In addition, MCs were categorized morphologically into degranulated and granulated cells. MCD was significantly higher in OSCC lesions with a greater degree of differentiation (P=0.04). No significant difference in MCD was detected between mild and moderate OED samples (P=0.09). Our findings indicate that MCs are present in the tumor microenvironment and may be associated with a better prognosis.

Harnessing the Anti-Tumor Mediators in Mast Cells as a New Strategy for Adoptive Cell Transfer for Cancer

“…MCs possess both pro-tumor and anti-tumor mediators, are found in large numbers in and around many types of tumors, and studies have variously suggested MCs should be targets for inhibition/depletion or exploited as an anti-tumorigenic strategy ( 67 ). There are various studies that showed MCs have an anti-tumorigenic role in ovarian cancer ( 68 ), clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) ( 69 ), B cell lymphoma ( 70 ), skin cancer ( 71 , 72 ), renal cancer ( 73 ), oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) ( 74 , 75 ), non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) ( 76 , 77 ), intestine cancer ( 71 , 78 ), lung cancer ( 79 ), melanoma ( 80 – 82 ), prostate cancer ( 83 – 85 ), colorectal cancer ( 86 ), and breast cancer ( 57 , 87 – 92 ) ( Figure 1A ). Patients with elevated MC counts had a significantly better event-free survival (EFS) compared to those with fewer MCs in several tumor types.…”

The emerging role of mast cells in skin cancers: involved cellular and molecular mechanisms

“…For instance, higher numbers of MCs in OSCC correlate negatively with lymph node metastasis. The determining factors that drive the tumorigenic/antitumorigenic characterization of MCs in each type of skin tumor should be investigated 65,66 …”

“…The determining factors that drive the tumorigenic/antitumorigenic characterization of MCs in each type of skin tumor should be investigated. 65,66 Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC)…”

Ultrastructural features of tumor‐associated mast cells in parasympathetic paragangliomas (chemodectomas) of the neck

“…Mast cells (MCs) are a portion of innate immunity and their participation in the initiation of allergic reactions and the pathogenesis of allergic diseases has been well documented (Elieh Ali Komi & Bjermer, 2019). Their presence in TME gained attention for several reasons: (a) MCs express a wide range of receptors for cytokines, chemokines, complement, and immunoglobulins, that enables them to respond to various signals within TME (i.e., tumor cells produce stem cell factor, the key survival and growth factor of MCs, which acts through MC‐expressed c‐KIT) (Komi & Redegeld, 2020), (b) MCs upon activation degranulate and release three categories of mediators (preformed such as histamine, heparin, chymase, tryptase, de novo synthesized mediators, and later cytokines of which several are involved in tumor biology; Elieh Ali Komi et al, 2020), (c) promising results of tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting C‐kit signaling and their effectiveness in different tumor types (Sheikh et al, 2022), (d) MCs accumulate in many tumors and their accumulation is associated to better or poor prognosis based on the tumor type (Dantas et al, 2017; Molin et al, 2002), (e) increased levels of MC specific mediators in serum of patients, which is associated to the prognosis or are suggested as markers for monitoring the chemotherapy (Goffredo et al, 2013; Ranieri et al, 2015; Sperr et al, 2009).…”