Osteopontin-driven TGF-β1 signaling via integrin αvβ3-NF-κB axis impairs NK cell function in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #NK cells
- #Osteopontin
- #HNSCC
- Osteopontin (OPN) levels are high in the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tumor microenvironment, correlating with reduced natural killer (NK) cell infiltration and function.
- OPN activates integrin αvβ3 and NF-κB signaling in tumor cells, leading to increased TGF-β1 secretion, which suppresses NK cell activation and cytotoxicity.
- The OPN-TGF-β1 axis is identified as a key mechanism for immune evasion in HNSCC, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target to restore NK cell-mediated immunity.