Table_1_Regulation of epigenetic modifications in the head and neck tumour microenvironment.docx

Head and neck tumours are common malignancies that are associated with high mortality. The low rate of early diagnosis and the high rates of local recurrence and distant metastasis are the main reasons for treatment failure. Recent studies have established that the tumour microenvironment (TME) can affect the proliferation and metastasis of head and neck tumours via several mechanisms, including altered expressions of certain genes and cytokines. Increasing evidence has shown that epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, RNA modification, and non-coding RNAs, can regulate the head and neck TME and thereby influence tumour development. Epigenetic modifications can regulate the expression of different genes and subsequently alter the TME to affect the progression of head and neck tumours. In addition, the cell components in the TME are regulated by epigenetic modifications, which, in turn, affect the behaviour of head and neck tumour cells. In this review, we have discussed the functions of epigenetic modifications in the head and neck TME. We have further examined the roles of such modifications in the malignancy and metastasis of head and neck tumours.

头颈部肿瘤是一类高发且致死率较高的恶性肿瘤。早期诊断率低下、局部复发率高及远处转移率高是导致其治疗失败的核心诱因。近期研究证实，肿瘤微环境（tumour microenvironment, TME）可通过多种机制影响头颈部肿瘤的增殖与转移，包括特定基因与细胞因子的表达异常。越来越多证据表明，表观遗传修饰（如DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、RNA修饰及非编码RNA）可调控头颈部肿瘤的肿瘤微环境，进而影响肿瘤发生发展。表观遗传修饰可通过调控不同基因的表达，进而改变肿瘤微环境以影响头颈部肿瘤的进展。此外，肿瘤微环境中的细胞组分亦受表观遗传修饰调控，而这反过来又会影响头颈部肿瘤细胞的生物学行为。本综述探讨了表观遗传修饰在头颈部肿瘤微环境中的功能，并进一步剖析了此类修饰在头颈部肿瘤恶性增殖与转移过程中的作用。