We examined Ep and CT expression levels of the cytokines IL-1β and G-CSF, known to expand and activate neutrophils during OPC, and the chemokines KC/CXCL1 and MIP-2/CXCL2, which recruit neutrophils in response to oral candidiasis in tongue tissue 6–8 (Fig. 5B–E). Here, CXCL2 is linked to oral candidiasis.