{"title":"Prognostic significance of IL-33 and ST2 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review.","authors":"Swetha Acharya, Usha Hegde, Anirudh Balakrishna Acharya, SubbaRao V Madhunapantula, Huchanahalli Sheshanna Sreeshyla, Priyanka Nitin, Medha Karnik","doi":"10.3389/froh.2025.1551781","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interleukin-33 (IL-33) and Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) expression are strongly associated with tumor growth and progression in diverse cancers, indicating the possibility of targeting the IL-33/ST2 axis pathway as a favorable therapeutic approach. However, the specific implications of IL-33/ST2 expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) prognosis are not fully understood. Thus, there is a need for more comprehensive research to verify the tasks and clinical significance of IL-33 and ST2 in HNSCC.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of differentially expressed IL-33 and ST2 in tumor tissues that could serve as novel biomarkers in HNSCC.</p><p><strong>Material & methods: </strong>The Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed electronic databases were searched and analyzed from January 2013 to July 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Nine studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analyzed. These selected studies were mainly having observational analytical study design, predominantly conducted within the Southeast Asian population. IL-33, primarily located in the stroma, demonstrates enhanced expression within carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Overexpression of IL-33 in CAFs correlates with its expression in tumor cells, as per some of these reports. Elevated IL-33 levels in CAFs are associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Increased IL-33 expression is related to poor nodal metastasis-free survival, indicating an adverse prognosis in HNSCC. In HNSCC, tumor cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) expressed ST2. The degree of ST2 expression on Tregs corresponds to the abundance of IL-33 expressing CAFs. IL-33 increases the Tregs density and amplifies their suppressive capability. Poorer survival outcomes in HNSCC are linked to elevated ST2 expression in Tregs combined with the existence of IL-33-expressing CAFs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>CAF-driven cancer invasiveness relies on IL-33 signaling via paracrine and autocrine pathways. IL-33 may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, aiming to improve prognosis and survival in HNSCC. The IL-33/ST2 axis significantly configures the tumor microenvironment and tumor aggressiveness in HNSCC. The role of serum IL33 and ST2 remains to be further studied in HNSCC.</p><p><strong>Systematic review registration: </strong>https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/i, identifier (CRD42023447963).</p>","PeriodicalId":94016,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in oral health","volume":"6 ","pages":"1551781"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11973380/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in oral health","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1551781","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"DENTISTRY, ORAL SURGERY & MEDICINE","Score":null,"Total":0}
Prognostic significance of IL-33 and ST2 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review.
Background: Interleukin-33 (IL-33) and Suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) expression are strongly associated with tumor growth and progression in diverse cancers, indicating the possibility of targeting the IL-33/ST2 axis pathway as a favorable therapeutic approach. However, the specific implications of IL-33/ST2 expression in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) prognosis are not fully understood. Thus, there is a need for more comprehensive research to verify the tasks and clinical significance of IL-33 and ST2 in HNSCC.
Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of differentially expressed IL-33 and ST2 in tumor tissues that could serve as novel biomarkers in HNSCC.
Material & methods: The Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed electronic databases were searched and analyzed from January 2013 to July 2023.
Results: Nine studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were analyzed. These selected studies were mainly having observational analytical study design, predominantly conducted within the Southeast Asian population. IL-33, primarily located in the stroma, demonstrates enhanced expression within carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Overexpression of IL-33 in CAFs correlates with its expression in tumor cells, as per some of these reports. Elevated IL-33 levels in CAFs are associated with unfavorable clinical outcomes. Increased IL-33 expression is related to poor nodal metastasis-free survival, indicating an adverse prognosis in HNSCC. In HNSCC, tumor cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) expressed ST2. The degree of ST2 expression on Tregs corresponds to the abundance of IL-33 expressing CAFs. IL-33 increases the Tregs density and amplifies their suppressive capability. Poorer survival outcomes in HNSCC are linked to elevated ST2 expression in Tregs combined with the existence of IL-33-expressing CAFs.
Conclusion: CAF-driven cancer invasiveness relies on IL-33 signaling via paracrine and autocrine pathways. IL-33 may be a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target, aiming to improve prognosis and survival in HNSCC. The IL-33/ST2 axis significantly configures the tumor microenvironment and tumor aggressiveness in HNSCC. The role of serum IL33 and ST2 remains to be further studied in HNSCC.