Cancer
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Immune escape mechanisms in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: The role of HGF/Met signalling pathway

Institution: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Würzburg
Applicant: Stefan Hartmann
Funding line:
First and Second Applications
Dr. rer. nat. Verena Boschert (left) and Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Stefan Hartmann (right) working in the lab of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery (University Hospital Würzburg)
Dr. rer. nat. Verena Boschert (left) and Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Stefan Hartmann (right) working in the lab of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery (University Hospital Würzburg)
(© Klaus Nowarra, University Hospital Würzburg)

Our project is focused on a particular signaling pathway (HGF/Met signaling) and its influence on immunologic and metabolic changes in malignant tumors of the head and neck (oral cavity, throat, etc.). Recently, we showed that activation of a receptor (Met) results in enhanced glucose metabolism and expression of immunosuppressive proteins. Next, we intend to analyze how and to what extent immune cells are compromised by those HGF/Met-mediated changes. To this end, we use immune cells from human blood samples and determine their behavior in the presence of HGF-conditioned tumor cells.

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