Available data indicating a role for neutrophils in the tumor-host reactions are controversial. In 37 patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we investigated the expression of a tumor-promoting, proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) molecule by peripheral blood neutrophils isolated from blood samples collected at presentation and three weeks after surgery, and the serum levels of TGF-β in the same samples. Additionally, we investigated the consequences of TLR4 activation by LPS for the synthesis of APRIL by those cells. The levels of mRNA for APRIL and TLR4 were measured using a real-time PCR method. Western blot analysis was used to assay the expressions of APRIL and ERK1/2 in cell lysates. The results of the present study revealed the unfavorable features of the detection, in the blood, of neutrophils displaying an enhanced expression of the tumor-promoting APRIL molecule. The increased expression and release of APRIL accompanying advanced stages of disease demonstrated by these cells, combined with the increased number of neutrophils, may be an important marker of disease progression in the patient group examined. Simultaneously, an increased level of circulating TGF-β in the serum of these patients appeared to be associated with the overexpression of APRIL in their neutrophils. In contrast to the healthy controls, TLR4 expression and the ERK1/2 signaling pathway appear to play only minor roles in APRIL induction in the cells of patients with cancer. The changes presented in the current study suggest that modulation of the expression of tumor-promoting APRIL, in addition to TRAIL and BAFF, might be taken into account in the development of new strategies for supportive immunotherapy of OSCC disease and possibly for other types of neoplasm as well.

中文翻译：

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口腔鳞状细胞癌患者中性粒细胞中的增殖诱导配体（APRIL）。

可用数据表明嗜中性粒细胞在肿瘤-宿主反应中的作用是有争议的。在37例口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）患者中，我们调查了外周血中性粒细胞从肿瘤组织中分离得到的外周血中性粒细胞的表达，研究了促肿瘤，增殖诱导配体（APRIL）分子的表达，以及相同样品中的血清TGF-β水平。此外，我们调查了LPS激活TLR4对这些细胞合成APRIL的影响。使用实时PCR方法测量APRIL和TLR4的mRNA水平。蛋白质印迹分析用于测定细胞裂解液中APRIL和ERK1 / 2的表达。本研究的结果揭示了血液中检测的不利特征，的中性粒细胞显示出促进肿瘤的APRIL分子增强表达。这些细胞表明，伴随疾病晚期发展的APRIL表达和释放的增加，以及嗜中性粒细胞数量的增加，可能是所检查患者组疾病进展的重要标志。同时，这些患者血清中循环TGF-β水平的升高似乎与中性粒细胞中APRIL的过表达有关。与健康对照相比，TLR4表达和ERK1 / 2信号通路似乎在癌症患者细胞中的APRIL诱导中仅起较小作用。当前研究中出现的变化表明，除了TRAIL和BAFF外，还可以调节促肿瘤的APRIL的表达，