Substance P and Neurokinin 1 Receptor in Chronic Inflammation and Cancer of the Head and Neck: A Review of the Literature

Francisco Esteban, Pablo Ramos-García, Miguel Muñoz and Miguel Ángel González-Moles
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Francisco Esteban: Department of Otolaryngology, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, University of Sevilla, 41004 Sevilla, Spain
Pablo Ramos-García: School of Dentistry, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain
Miguel Muñoz: Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides (IBIS), Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Miguel Ángel González-Moles: School of Dentistry, University of Granada, 18010 Granada, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Head and neck cancer is a growing worldwide public health problem, accounting for approximately 1,500,000 new cases and 500,000 deaths annually. Substance P (SP) is a peptide of the tachykinin family, which has roles related to a large number of physiological mechanisms in humans. The implications of SP in carcinogenesis have recently been reported through the stimulation of the neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R), or directly, through the effects derived from the constitutive activation of NK1R. Consequently, SP/NK1R seems to play relevant roles in cancer, upregulating cell proliferation, cell migration and chronic inflammation, among other oncogenic actions. Furthermore, there is growing evidence pointing to a central role for SP in tumour progression, singularly so in laryngeal and oral squamous cell carcinomas. The current narrative review of the literature focuses on the relationship between the SP/NK1R system and chronic inflammation and cancer in the head-and-neck region. We described a role for SP/NK1R in the transition from chronic inflammation of the head and neck mucosa, to preneoplastic and neoplastic transformation and progression.

Keywords: substance P; NK1R; head and neck cancer; squamous cell carcinoma; chronic inflammation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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