HLA expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

Treatment of patients with HNSCC has not improved consiagnosis, most patients present with advanced stage tumors. Immunotherapy has gained interest over the last years to improve disease-free survival of patients with HNSCC. One of the hurdles to overcome is the poor immunogenic and strong immune suppressive properties of HNSCC. Apart from the capability of these tumors to interfere with the functionality of the immune system, they possess mechanisms to become undetectable for the immune system. HLA class I expression and associated antigen processing are elementary mechanisms in cellular immune surveillance and are critically important in the detection and eradication of neoplastic cells. The scope of this study was to include identification and characterization of defects in HLA class I expression on the cell surface and HLA class I associated antigen processing that may play a role in the evasion of HNSCC from immune surveillance. Our findings are discussed in the context of tumor escape from immune surveillance and rationalized in relation to a potential treatment by immunotherapeutical mediators.