A narrative review of the role of Eph receptors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Aisha A H Al-Jamaei - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Ramadugula V Subramanyam - , K M Shah Dental College and Hospital (Author)
  • Marco N Helder - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Tymour Forouzanfar - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Erik H van der Meij - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)
  • Sayida Al-Jamei - , OncoRay - National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Jan G A M de Visscher - , Amsterdam University Medical Centers (UMC) (Author)

Abstract

Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) coordinate a variety of pathological processes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and eventually play a role in patient outcomes. In this review, the role of Eph receptors in HNSCC progression and the possibility of targeting these receptors are illustrated. All relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of four electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, web of science, and Embase till August 2022. EphA2 and EphB4, along with ephrin-B2, were the most extensively studied proteins in this family. However, overexpression of EphB4 and its ligand ephrin-B2 were the only proteins that consistently showed association with a poor outcome, indicating that these proteins might serve as valuable prognostic markers in HNSCC. High expression of EphA3 and EphB4 was found to play a crucial role in radioresistance of HNSCC. EphB4 loss, in particular, was observed to induce an immunosuppression phenotypic HNSCC. Currently, ongoing clinical trials are investigating the benefits of EphB4-ephrin-B2 blockade in combination with standard of care treatment in HNSCC. Further efforts are needed to explore the biological role and behavioral complexity of this family of TKR in HNSCC with great attention to avoid heterogeneity of HNSCC subsites.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)833-845
Number of pages13
JournalOral diseases
Volume30
Issue number3
Early online date6 Jun 2023
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 85161612324
Mendeley a8565ae1-9494-350e-93b1-bced4a352745

Keywords

Library keywords