Prognostic value of histamine H1 receptor expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Overexpression of the histamine H1 receptor (H1R) has been described in a variety of tumor models, but experience in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) is not available. Current adjuvant treatment options for OSCC can be improved by the identification of new targets of therapy. Herein, we evaluated H1R expression in a large patient cohort of OSCC.

H1R immunoexpression was evaluated in 191 cases of OSCC and two OSCC cell lines BICR56 and BICR3. Scanned images were digitally analyzed using ImageJ and the immunomembrane plug-in. The combined score of computer-assisted semiquantitative analysis was correlated with manually counted percentages of tumor cells by Kendall's tau (т) correlation coefficient. Disease-free survival times were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared by using the log-rank test. Multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model.

H1R was rarely expressed in OSCC but significantly related with advanced tumor stages (n = 21/191, mean expression 63.5% of cancer cells in positive tumor samples, 95% confidence interval of the mean 53.5 to 73.6%, p = 0.006). Following univariate analysis, patients with H1R expression showed a significant poorer prognosis (p = 0.0004). Multivariate analysis revealed H1R expression as an independent prognostic factor (p = 0.0164). Expression of H1R in cancer cell lines was confirmed by specific staining of OSCC cell lines BICR56 and BICR3.

This is the first study focusing on H1R expression showing a significant poorer DFS rate in the H1R+ patient cohort. Based on these data, H1R activation may promote carcinogenesis in OSCC.

Investigation of H1R regulation and its antagonists shows a clear rationale for future supportive anticancer therapies in OSCCs.