# Evaluation of Integrin Glycovariants as Biomarkers of Metastasis, Invasion, and Therapy Stratification in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

## TL;DR

This study explores how changes in integrin glycosylation relate to cancer spread and treatment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into integrin glycosylation patterns in HNSCC and identifies a potential biomarker for radiotherapy response.

## Key findings

- Integrin glycovariants are abundant in HNSCC tumors, but they do not directly correlate with metastatic behavior.
- High ITGB1–WFL levels are associated with increased tumor invasiveness.
- Serum ITGA2–UEA shows potential as a biomarker for predicting radiotherapy response and cancer recurrence.

## Abstract

Integrin glycosylation is one mechanism regulating the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. Little information exists about integrin glycosylation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this study, we evaluated the glycosylation of integrins in HNSCC tumor and serum samples.

Intraoperative fresh tumor and normal tissue samples and blood samples were collected from HNSCC patients (N = 24). Lectin‐bioaffinity assays using six nanoparticle‐bound lectins were used to evaluate the glycosylation of integrins ITGA2, ITGA3, ITGA5, ITGA6, ITGB1, and ITGB4. Associations with metastasis, therapy response, and clinical factors were analyzed.

Glycosylation profiles of the integrins were relatively similar. High intratumoral ITGB1–WFL results were associated with high T class, whereas none of the integrin glycovariant assays provided significant resolution in the detection of nodal metastasis. While the serum integrin glycovariant levels were low overall, serum ITGA2–UEA offered significant resolution in both radiotherapy response prediction and cancer recurrence prognostication.

We demonstrate that while integrin glycovariants are abundant in HNSCC tumors and ITGB1‐WFL was associated with invasiveness, integrin glycovariants do not directly correlate with metastatic behavior. Further, serum ITGA2–UEA appeared as a potential radioresponse biomarker.

There are scarce data about integrin glycosylation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In this study, glycosylation of ITGA2, ITGA3, ITGA5, ITGA6, ITGB1, and ITGB4 was investigated in intraoperative tissue samples using lectin‐bioaffinity assays. While integrin glycovariants are abundant in HNSCC tumors and ITGB1‐WFL was associated with invasiveness, integrin glycovariants did not directly correlate with metastatic behavior.