Tumor microenvironment in salivary gland carcinomas: An orchestrated state of chaos

• Published in: Oral oncology Vol. 127; p. 105777
• Main Authors: Egal, Erika Said Abu, Scarini, João Figueira, de Lima-Souza, Reydson Alcides, Lavareze, Luccas, Fernandes, Patrícia Maria, Emerick, Carolina, Gonçalves, Mayara Trevizol, Helms, My N., Altemani, Albina, Mariano, Fernanda Viviane
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2022
• Subjects: Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts - metabolism; Carcinoma; Cytokine; Extracellular Matrix; Fibroblast Cells; Humans; Immune Cells; Review; Salivary Gland Carcinoma; Salivary Gland Neoplasms - pathology; Salivary Glands - metabolism; Tumor Microenvironment; Salivary Gland Carcinoma; Immune Cells; Extracellular Matrix; Cytokine; Tumor Microenvironment; Review; Fibroblast Cells
• ISSN: 1368-8375; 1879-0593
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.105777

•The tumor microenvironment (TME) of salivary gland carcinomas (SGC) has a complex and intratumor environment that presents a network of chaotic interactions.•The TME, as well as the nature and intensity of inflammatory infiltrates, vary according to SGC subtype.•IL-6, IL-8, IL-33, CXCR4, CXCC12, TGF-β1, and MMP-9 appear to be the molecules most commonly related to the pathogenesis and progression of SGC.•Salivary gland malignant cells protect themselves from attack by stimulating mainly immune checkpoint targets: PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4.
Salivary gland carcinomas (SGC) are rare tumors of heterogeneous morphology and many histological subtypes. Like other tumors, the SGC mass consists of a varied population of malignant cells and a diverse array of immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, cytokines, chemokines, extracellular matrix proteins, and metalloproteinases, collectively known as the tumor microenvironment (TME). This chaotic network serves as an important physical mediator of cancer cell growth. In this review, we provided current insights into the TME of some of the most common SGC. Here, we highlighted the histological heterogeneity of these tumors, delineated the nature/intensity of inflammatory infiltrates, and the mechanisms involved in immunological escaping related to each SGC subtype.