ABSTRACT Malignant tumour cells, including malignant keratinocytes of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), exist in conjunction with other functional cells and it is well recognised that interaction between these groups of cells is important in tumour progression. In addition to cells (tumour cells, immune/inflammatory cells, fibroblasts, vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells, adipocytes) the tumour microenvironment (TME) comprises extracellular matrix and soluble factors, signalling molecules and metabolites such as enzymes, growth factors, cytokines, microRNAs and microvesicles. Our Oral Molecular and Immunopathology Research Group has explored and examined the interactions of the immune network involved in the TME such as tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), regulatory T cells (Tregs), antigen presenting cells (APCs), associated cytokines such as IL17, IL22, IL23 and other current potential anti-cancer targets such as ER stress and exosomes. This paper will provide an overview of the history of OSCC research at the University of Otago, as well as elaborate current understanding of the TME in OSCC, based on ongoing research undertaken in the Oral Molecular and Immunopathology Research Group of the Sir John Walsh Research Institute at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago.

中文翻译：

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了解口腔癌的复杂微环境：奥塔哥大学牙科学院过去 100 年的贡献

摘要 恶性肿瘤细胞，包括口腔鳞状细胞癌 (OSCC) 的恶性角质形成细胞，与其他功能细胞一起存在，众所周知，这些细胞群之间的相互作用在肿瘤进展中很重要。除了细胞（肿瘤细胞、免疫/炎症细胞、成纤维细胞、血管和淋巴管内皮细胞、脂肪细胞）外，肿瘤微环境 (TME) 还包括细胞外基质和可溶性因子、信号分子和代谢物，例如酶、生长因子、细胞因子、microRNA和微泡。我们的口腔分子和免疫病理学研究小组已经探索和检查了 TME 中涉及的免疫网络的相互作用，例如肿瘤浸润淋巴细胞 (TIL)、调节性 T 细胞 (Treg)、抗原呈递细胞 (APC)、相关的细胞因子，如 IL17、IL22、IL23 和其他当前潜在的抗癌靶点，如内质网应激和外泌体。本文将概述奥塔哥大学 OSCC 研究的历史，并根据约翰·沃尔什爵士研究所口腔分子和免疫病理学研究小组正在进行的研究，详细阐述目前对 OSCC 中 TME 的理解在奥塔哥大学牙科学院。