Expression of MIP-3α/CCL20, a macrophage inflammatory protein in oral squamous cell carcinoma

We have examined the expression of MIP-3alpha/CCL20 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in vivo and in vitro. In addition, we have investigated whether the expression of MIP-3a/CCL20 is regulated by bacterial. infection and inflammatory cytokines. In order to determine the mRNA level of MIP-3alpha, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed with LightCycter(TM) using the double-stranded DNA dye, SYBR Green 1. Oral epithelial. cells and six SCC cell lines (SCC-9, SAS, BSC-OF, HSC-4, HSC, Ca9-22) were found to express MIP-3alpha mRNA. The expression of MIP-3alpha was upregutated by infection with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans and by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide and TNF-alpha. By in situ hybridization, the detectable MIP-3alpha expression in SCC was localized primarily at the epithelial pearls corresponding to the spinous layer. These results suggest that MIP-3alpha contributes to the oral immunoresponse to bacterial infection, and may be involved in the growth of SCC. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.