Aspartate-β-hydroxylase and hypoxia marker expression in head and neck carcinomas: implications for HPV-associated tumors

Abstract Background A proportion of head and neck carcinomas (HNSCCs) are induced by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and are associated with better patient outcomes compared to patients with HNSCCs related to tobacco and alcohol abuse. In the microenvironment of solid tumors, including HNSCCs, oxygen levels are often reduced, and a hypoxic state is induced. This can lead to a poor treatment response and a worse patient prognosis. One of the hypoxia-responsive genes is aspartate-β-hydroxylase (ASPH), whose activity promotes the growth, invasiveness, and metastasis of many types of solid tumors. Methods In our study, HNSCC samples were analyzed for the expression of ASPH and selected endogenous hypoxia markers by real-time PCR and/or multiplex fluorescence immunohistochemistry. Results Except for the EPAS1 gene, which had higher mRNA expression in the HPV-negative group of HNSCC (p