Nature Communications (Aug 2022)
OXTRHigh stroma fibroblasts control the invasion pattern of oral squamous cell carcinoma via ERK5 signaling
Abstract
Worst pattern of invasion (WPOI) is a parameter used to quantify tumor invasiveness of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here the authors show that a fibroblast subset characterized by the expression of the oxytocin receptor is enriched in highly invasive WPOI 4-5 OSCC tumors and can be targeted to reduce the desmoplastic stroma and tumor metastasis.