Increase of regulatory T cells in metastatic stage and CTLA-4 over expression in lymphocytes of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Abstract

We hypothesized that the increased percentages of Regulatory T (Treg) cells, as well as over expression of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen-4 (CTLA-4) by lymphocyte subsets might be associated with lung cancer. Accordingly, peripheral blood of 23 new cases with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 16 healthy volunteers were investigated, by follow cytometry, for the prevalence of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ Treg cells as well as surface (sur-) and intracellular (In-) expression of CTLA-4 by the main lymphocyte subsets (CD4+, CD8+ and CD19+). Results indicated that NSCLC patients had an increased percentage of Treg cells than controls (7.9±4.1 versus 3.8±1.8, P=0.001). The proportion of Treg cells was observed to be increased by stage increase in patients (stage II=5.2±2.4, stage III=7.9±4.4, stage IV=12.0±2.2), and also significantly higher in metastatic than non-metastatic stages (12.0±2.2 versus 6.8±3.9, P=0.023). Increase of SurCTLA-4- as well as InCTLA-4-expressing lymphocytes in patients were observed in nearly all investigated subsets, but significant differences between patients and controls were observed about InCTLA-4+CD4+ lymphocytes (8.6±7.1 and 3.8±5.3 respectively, P=0.006) as well as SurCTLA-4+CD8+ lymphocytes (0.3±0.2 and 0.2±0.1 respectively, P=0.047). In conclusion, the results suggest that immunotherapy regimen targeting CTLA-4 and Treg cells might be beneficial in lung cancer patients.

• Authors: Nasrollah Erfani, Shayesteh Mofakhami Mehrabadi, Mohammad Ali Ghayumi, Mohammad Reza Haghshenas, Zahra Mojtahedi, Abbas Ghaderi, Davar Amani
• Journal: Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands) (Lung Cancer) Vol. 77 Issue 2 Pg. 306-11 (Aug 2012) ISSN: 1872-8332 [Electronic] Ireland
• PMID: 22608141 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• CTLA-4 Antigen

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• CTLA-4 Antigen (genetics, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Case-Control Studies
• Female
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (immunology, metabolism, pathology)
• Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology, metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory (immunology, metabolism)