Cathepsin S Evokes PAR₂-Dependent Pain in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients and Preclinical Mouse Models.

ABSTRACT: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) pain is more prevalent and severe than pain generated by any other form of cancer. We previously showed that protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR₂) contributes to oral SCC pain. Cathepsin S is a lysosomal cysteine protease released during injury and disease that can activate PAR₂. We report here a role for cathepsin S in PAR₂-dependent cancer pain. We report that cathepsin S was more active in human oral SCC than matched normal tissue, and in an orthotopic xenograft tongue cancer model than normal tongue. The multiplex immunolocalization of cathepsin S in human oral cancers suggests that carcinoma and macrophages generate cathepsin S in the oral cancer microenvironment. After cheek or paw injection, cathepsin S evoked nocice

SUBMITTER: Tu NH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8466361 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature