Background/Objectives: Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α) has been linked to tumor progression in various cancer types; however, its role in oral cancer pathogenesis remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the clinical significance of IL-1α expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), with a specific focus on its role in modulating cancer cell phenotype. Methods: Primary OSCC tissue specimens were collected from 104 patients and subjected to immunohistochemical analysis to assess IL-1α expression. OSCC cell lines were cultured for functional assays, and their protein and mRNA expressions were verified using western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The effects of IL-1α expression on OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and gene expression were subsequently examined. Results: IL-1α expression varied among OSCC tissues and cell lines both in vivo and in vitro. Notably, siRNA-mediated suppression of IL-1α in HSC3 cells impaired migration while leaving proliferation unaffected, highlighting its functional role in promoting cancer cell motility. Conclusions: Our in vivo and in vitro findings revealed varied IL-1α expression in OSCC and its association with a motile phenotype, suggesting that case-specific IL-1α assessment could hold prognostic value in oral cancer.
背景/目的：白细胞介素-1α（IL-1α）与多种癌症的肿瘤进展相关，但其在口腔癌发病机制中的作用尚未明确。本研究旨在探讨IL-1α在口腔鳞状细胞癌（OSCC）中的临床意义，重点关注其对癌细胞表型的调控作用。方法：收集104例原发性OSCC组织标本，通过免疫组织化学分析评估IL-1α表达水平。培养OSCC细胞系进行功能实验，并分别采用蛋白质印迹法和实时聚合酶链反应验证其蛋白及mRNA表达。随后检测IL-1α表达对OSCC细胞增殖、迁移及基因表达的影响。结果：体内外实验均显示OSCC组织及细胞系中IL-1α表达存在异质性。值得注意的是，通过siRNA抑制HSC3细胞中IL-1α表达可削弱细胞迁移能力，但不影响增殖，这突显了IL-1α在促进癌细胞运动性中的功能作用。结论：本研究的体内外实验结果表明OSCC中IL-1α表达具有异质性，且与运动表型相关，提示针对具体病例的IL-1α评估可能对口腔癌具有预后价值。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家