Characterization of T-lymphocyte subpopulations infiltrating primary breast cancer

Abstract

Characterization of T-lymphocyte subpopulations adjacent to and infiltrating the primary tumor of breast cancer was carried out using a direct immunofluorescence procedure with the antibodies anti-(Leu-2a) for suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8+) and anti-(Leu-3a) for helper/inducer (CD4+) T-lymphocytes. Fifty-six primary malignant tumors with lymphoid infiltration were studied. The majority (58.9%) were infiltrating duct carcinoma. There were metastases to axillary lymph nodes in 6.67% of the patients. Massive lymphoid infiltration (greater than 40 lymphocytes per x 400 microscopic field) was found in 19.6% of the tumors and moderate infiltration (20-40 lymphocytes per field) in 51.8%. In all the tumors studied there was a reversed CD4+/CD8+ ratio as compared to that found in normal peripheral blood. In 66.1% the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (helper/suppressor) was less than 1.0. The reversed ratio was due to a significant decrease in the number of helper cells (P less than 0.0005). The most significant drop was in the stroma area (P less than 0.0001) as well as in the tumor tissue (P = 0.001). Of particular interest was the significant positive correlation between the age of the patients and an increased number of CD4+lymphocytes in the stroma (P = 0.02). Significant negative correlations were found between a reduced number of CD4+ lymphocytes or CD4+/CD8+ ratio and several histological parameters: tumor diameter, pleomorphism, nucleus/cytoplasm ratio. There was also a significant positive correlation between the total number of CD8+ lymphocytes infiltrating the tumor tissue and the number of axillary lymph nodes with metastatic disease (P = 0.03). It is suggested that the reversed ratio of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes may significantly affect the host/tumor immune surveillance.

Flow cytometric analysis of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer

“…Received 22 March 1990; and in revised form 13 July 1990. Rowe & Beverly, 1984;Hurliman & Saraga, 1985;Bilik et al, 1989). Taking solid tumours as a whole, most groups have found CD8 + T cells to be in the majority (Itoh et al, 1986;Rabinowich et al, 1987;Heo et al, 1987;Belledegrun et al, 1988;Rosenberg et al, 1988;Durie et al, 1990 Tumour samples were obtained aseptically at the time of operation then the main bulk of each tumour was sent for routine histology and the assay of tumour oestrogen receptors (ER).…”

Phenotype Analysis of Tumour-infiltrating Lymphocytes and Lymphocytes in Peripheral Blood in Patients with Renal Carcinoma

“…The significance of the role of antigen-presenting cells was not unambiguously proven in tumour diseases in case of B lymphocytes (3,21,26,32,33). In our patients, B lymphocytes were less than 1 % of TILs and their numbers were significantly lower compared to their numbers in PBL.…”

Horizontal gene transfers and cell fusions in microbiology, immunology and oncology (Review)

“…However, continuous antigenic stimulation (as a physiologic defense against immunological overreaction converting into a pathophysiological counter-reaction) induces the generation of Treg cells (338). The paradoxical situation may arise, in which breast cancer tumors infiltrated with T cells in a reversed CD4 + /CD8 + ratio, release cancer cells with increased metastatic potency to the regional lymph nodes (339).…”

“…Human breast cancer cells emerging from the process of ETM transition form mammospheres, a feature characteristic of epithelial stem cells (351). When a certain subclass of CD8 + T cells (the T/T T cells) infiltrates breast cancer tumors, the formation of lymph node metastases is promoted (338,339). While HER2/neu-expressor breast cancer cells are immunogenic in their host of origin, HER2/neu-negative breast cancer cells arising after a long latency prevail, even in these immunoreactive hosts (346).…”