Increasing clinical evidence indicates that Th17 cells may promote or inhibit tumor progression, however the exact role of these cells in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCCs) pathogenesis and progression remains unclear. Tumor associated macrophages are highly plastic phenotype cells which can differentiate as M1 or M2. The mechanism and cellular phenotype of IL-17 expressing macrophages are unknown. 40 cases of lip and 28 of tongue SCCs were submitted to immunohistochemical analysis, and histologically graded. In tongue cases TNM was analyzed. The number of IL-17⁺ T cells was higher in lip SCC (p = 0.028). IL-17⁺ macrophages was greater in tongue SCC (p = 0.014). There were more IL-17⁺ macrophages in the high-grade malignancy oral tongue SCCs (p = 0.016), yet there was no significant difference in the numbers of RORγt⁺ lymphocytes by histopathological or TNM analysis. This study provides evidence concerning IL-17’s pleiotropic roles, being possibly dependent on its cellular sources in the tumor microenvironment.

越来越多的临床证据表明 Th17 细胞可能促进或抑制肿瘤进展，但这些细胞在口腔鳞状细胞癌 (OSCC) 发病机制和进展中的确切作用仍不清楚。肿瘤相关巨噬细胞是高度可塑性的表型细胞，可分化为 M1 或 M2。表达 IL-17 的巨噬细胞的机制和细胞表型尚不清楚。对 40 例唇和 28 例舌 SCC 进行免疫组化分析，并进行组织学分级。在舌病例中分析了 TNM。唇 SCC中 IL-17 ⁺ T 细胞的数量较高（p = 0.028）。舌 SCC 中的 IL-17 ⁺巨噬细胞较多（p = 0.014）。有更多的 IL-17 ⁺高级别恶性口腔舌 SCC 中的巨噬细胞 (p = 0.016)，但通过组织病理学或 TNM 分析，RORγt ⁺淋巴细胞的数量没有显着差异。该研究提供了有关 IL-17 多效性作用的证据，可能依赖于其在肿瘤微环境中的细胞来源。