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Background: Long-term smoking and drinking are known to contribute to the onset of tongue cancer (TC). However, the increasing incidence of TC in younger adults has been suggested to be associated with other factors. Objectives: The present study investigated the relationship between TC and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Material and methods: Clinical records and surgically resected specimens from 86 patients (<40-years-old, n = 12; ≥40-years-old, n = 74) with TC were analyzed. Strong nuclear and cytoplasmic p16 staining was considered positive. HPV DNA (high-risk subtypes: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 52b, and 58; low-risk subtypes: 6 and 11) was detected using consensus primer-mediated polymerase chain reaction. Results: Strong p16 expression was observed in 10 (11.6%) patients. HPV DNA was detected in 9 (10.5%) patients (high-risk subtypes, n = 2; low-risk subtypes, n = 7). Strong p16 expression was observed more frequently among younger adults than among older adults (33.3% vs. 8.1%; p = .045). p16 staining did not correlate with the detection of HPV DNA (correlation coefficient, 0.113; p = .300). Conclusions and significance: In TC, p16 expression was not associated with HPV infection, suggesting that it may be caused by a different mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to observe the distribution of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the development of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to determine the role of Tregs in the progression of tongue SCC. A mouse model of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4NQO)-induced-tongue SCC was established. The expression of Forkhead box P3 (Foxp3), interleukin 10, transforming growth factor-β, chemokine CC motif ligands 17, 20, and CC chemokine receptor 4 was determined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Foxp3 expression was also analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The results were compared with those of control mice and of 4NQO-treated mice treated with a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor. Well to moderately differentiated tongue SCC was induced in all of the experimental mice. The amount of Tregs of the experimental mice was over 10 times as much as control mice at the early stage of tumor progression. COX-2 inhibitor did not prevent the progression of tongue SCC and did not reduce the total amount of Tregs. Tregs function at the early stage of the development of tongue SCC, and it may be effective to suppress Tregs at the early stage of tumor progression for the treatment and/or prevention of tongue SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]