Immunological balance skewing Th1,Th17 towards Th2,Treg in OSCC of hamster induced by 7,12- dimethylbenz[a]anthracene

It has been reported that CD4 + helper T cells, such as Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg, play crucial roles in the immunological balance especially when the immune system is invaded by the tumor. Oral squamous cell carcinoma undergoes a process from normal epithelium to dysplasia. However, the dynamic equilibrium of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg remained unclear during the process of epithelial malignant transformation. The present study was performed to describe the changes of Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg, Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg in golden hamsters induced Oral Potentially malignant Disorders (OPMDs) and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Using the carcinogenic agent 7,12-dimethylbenz [a]anthracene to smear the Syrian golden hamster cheek pouch mucosa every 3 days, OPMDs and oral squamous cell carcinoma models had been induced. Samples were obtained surgically from the hamster, grind into single cell suspension, and tested by flow cytometry. With the increasing of Th2 and Treg has been the decreasing of Th1 and Th17 from normal epithelium to OPMDs and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Th1/Th2 ratio and Th17/Treg ratio were changing in the different lesion. Our findings suggested that the shift of Th1/Th2 balance to Th2 might involve in the occurrence and development of normal mucosal carcinogenesis, while the shift of Th17/Treg balance to Treg might involve in the occurrence of normal mucosal cancerization.