Sensory Neurotransmitter Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Modulates Tumor Growth and Lymphocyte Infiltration in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma are highly innervated by peripheral sensory neurons. Local neurotransmitter release (e.g., calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)) from sensory neurons innervating cancer is linked to tumorigenesis. CGRP-immunoreactive nerve presence comprised 9.53±1.9% of total nerve area across 11 HNSCC patients. A syngeneic tongue tumor transplant mouse model of oral cancer and a global Calca knockout mouse (CGRP^KO ) are used to investigate the impact of CGRP signaling on tumor growth and the associated immune response in vivo. In tumor-bearing CGRP^KO mice, there is a significant reduction in tumor size over time compared to wildtype mice using two different mouse oral cancer cell lines. Furthermore, tumor tissue from CGRP^KO mice had

SUBMITTER: McIlvried LA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9474661 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature