High Level Expression of MHC-II in HPV+ Head and Neck Cancers Suggests that Tumor Epithelial Cells Serve an Important Role as Accessory Antigen Presenting Cells.

ABSTRACT: High-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are responsible for a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Expression of class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC-II) is associated with antigen presenting cells (APCs). During inflammation, epithelial cells can be induced to express MHC-II and function as accessory APCs. Utilizing RNA-seq data from over 500 HNSCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas, we determined the impact of HPV-status on the expression of MHC-II genes and related genes involved in their regulation, antigen presentation, and T-cell co-stimulation. Expression of virtually all MHC-II genes was significantly upregulated in HPV+ carcinomas compared to HPV- or normal control tissue. Similarly, genes that encode products involved in antigen presentation were

SUBMITTER: Gameiro SF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6721589 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature