Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41380484›Full record

ArticleInternational dental journal2026

CCR7 Promotes Neutrophil Recruitment and N2 Polarization Through Regulation of IL-16 in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Haoxuan Wu, Shanfeng Lin, Yuan Tian, Yihao Liu, Yuheng Wang, Fayu Liu

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International dental journal, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Haoxuan WuDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Shanfeng LinDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Yuan TianDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Yihao LiuDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Yuheng WangDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China.
Fayu LiuDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 20031060@cmu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesWhile CCR7 is a known driver of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) progression and tumour-associated neutrophils (TANs) are key microenvironmental mediators, the role of CCR7 in regulating TAN recruitment and pro-tumorigenic N2 polarization remains unknown. This study aimed to delineate this novel regulatory axis.

methodsBioinformatic analyses of TCGA and HPA datasets were performed to evaluate clinical associations among CCR7 expression, neutrophil infiltration, and N2 polarization markers in HNSCC. Mechanistic insights were obtained from in vitro models using conditioned medium from HNSCC cell lines (FADU, PCI-37B) to study CCR7/IL-16-mediated recruitment and polarization of neutrophil-like HL-60 cells. The functional effects of these N2-polarized neutrophils on HNSCC proliferation and invasion were also quantified.

resultsHigh CCR7 expression in HNSCC correlated with elevated neutrophil infiltration and N2 polarization markers. CCR7 knockdown suppressed neutrophil recruitment (P < .01) and N2 polarization (P < .001). Mechanistically, CCR7 signalling regulated IL-16 secretion, which mediated neutrophil chemotaxis and N2 polarization (P < .05). These N2-polarized neutrophils promoted a pro-tumorigenic feedback loop, enhancing HNSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion (P < .01).

conclusionThese findings establish CCR7 as a key regulator of IL-16-mediated neutrophil recruitment and N2 polarization in HNSCC, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target to remodel the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsNeutrophil InfiltrationReceptors, CCR7Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckCell Line, TumorCell MovementCell ProliferationHL-60 CellsHumansNeoplasm InvasivenessNeutrophilsTumor MicroenvironmentCCR7 protein, humanReceptors, CCR7CCR7Head and neck squamous cell carcinomaNeutrophil recruitmentPolarization

Identifiers

PMID41380484
PMCPMC12753237

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.