Immunohistochemical expression of interleukin-4, -6, -8, and -12 in inflammatory cells in surrounding invasive front of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract

Cytokines play important roles in the diverse interactions between tumor microenvironment and malignant cells. This study evaluated the association of interleukin (IL)-4, -6, -8, and -12 expressions and clinicopathologic parameters of 35 primary oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). Patients were staged according to the TNM clinical staging. Malignancy grading of invasive front was evaluated in hematoxylin-eosin (H&E)-stained slides. Immunohistochemical technique was performed on frozen tissue sections. Association between clinicopathologic parameters and IL expression were analyzed using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis (alpha = 0.05) and Mann-Whitney U tests, with Bonferroni correction. Correlations between interleukins were analyzed by the Spearman coefficient. Expression of ILs was verified in all samples; however, this finding was not related to clinicopathologic parameters. It was not the observed correlation between ILs. Expression of IL-4, -6, -8, and -12 in the invasive front of OSCC is not involved with the clinicopathologic parameters of the disease.