LIPID METABOLISM IN CORRELATION WITH HPV STATUS IN ORAL AND OROPHARYNGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: A COMPARATIVE IMMUNOHISTOCHEMICAL STUDY

Abstract

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) represent approximately 95% of cancers in these anatomical regions. Several studies evaluating the interrelationship of the immune system and cancer have demonstrated the ability of cancer to evade the immune response and promote a pro-tumor microenvironment. In addition to new markers of angiogenesis, cell proliferation and differentiation, recent studies show that cancer cells often reprogram metabolic pathways, aiming for survival, proliferation and metastasis. Although the dependence on glycolysis is well studied, the role of lipid metabolic reprogramming in supporting cancer growth and proliferation, especially metastases, is less understood. A recent study by our group has shown that 7/109 (6%) OSCCs and 23/126 (18%) OPSCCs were HPV+ (high-risk), which presented a significantly high proliferative index when compared with OSCCs/OPSCCs HPV-. We believe that HPV+ OSCCs/OPSCCs have active lipogenic mechanisms (involving cell membrane components, among others). Thus, the present study aims to analyze, by immunohistochemistry, cases of OPSCC (n=40; 20 HPV+ and 20 HPV-) and OSCC (n=20; 10 HPV+ and 10 HPV-) using the markers CD36, adipophilin, perilipin, mammaglobin and GCDFP-15, aiming to establish clinicopathological associations and clarify the role of these lipogenesis markers in the pathogenesis of OSCC and OPSCC in relation to HPV infection status.