Relationship between Fusobacterium nucleatum expression in oral epithelial cells and the condition and prognosis of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma
ZHOU Li-feng
JIANG Xia
ZHANG Rong-rong
WANG Li
LIANG Qiao-mei
Abstract：Objective To investigate the prognostic value of Fusobacterium nucleatum in oral epithelial cells in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods A total of 151 patients with OSCC treated at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine from December 2018 to April 2022 were included.Real-time quantitative fluorescence PCR was used to quantify the Fusobacterium nucleatum(Fn)gene sequences.Gram-negative bacteria and macrophages were detected using LPS and CD 163 immunostaining.The correlation between tumor-associat-ed Fn and clinical pathological characteristics,recurrence,and overall survival(OS)was assessed in two independent OSCC patient cohorts.Interactions with immune-related genes were explored.Results Fn positivity was associated with older age,less alcohol consumption,and lower rates of alcohol and smoking intake,as well as lower frequency of lymph node infiltration.Compared to Fn-negative tumors,Fn-positive tumors had fewer metastatic recurrences,significantly prolonged OS,recurrence-free survival,and metastasis-free survival.Immunohistochemical analysis and immune-re-lated gene analysis revealed a negative correlation between Fn positivity and M2 macrophages,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Conclusion Fn-associated OSCC exhibits a specific immune microenvironment,is more com-mon in elderly non-drinking patients,and has a favorable prognosis.
Keywords：oral epithelial cellsfusobacterium nucleatumoral squamous cell carcinoma
Publication Date：2023-12-28
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 1554-1559 )