Tumor-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes predict clinical outcome in human breast cancer

C Ma, Q Zhang, J Ye, F Wang, Y Zhang… - The Journal of …, 2012 - journals.aai.org
C Ma, Q Zhang, J Ye, F Wang, Y Zhang, E Wevers, T Schwartz, P Hunborg, MA Varvares
The Journal of Immunology, 2012journals.aai.org
Understanding and dissecting the role of different subsets of regulatory tumor-infiltrating
lymphocytes (TILs) in the immunopathogenesis of individual cancer is a challenge for anti-
tumor immunotherapy. High levels of γδ regulatory T cells have been discovered in breast
TILs. However, the clinical relevance of these intratumoral γδ T cells is unknown. In this
study, γδ T cell populations were analyzed by performing immunohistochemical staining in
primary breast cancer tissues from patients with different stages of cancer progression …
Abstract
Understanding and dissecting the role of different subsets of regulatory tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the immunopathogenesis of individual cancer is a challenge for anti-tumor immunotherapy. High levels of γδ regulatory T cells have been discovered in breast TILs. However, the clinical relevance of these intratumoral γδ T cells is unknown. In this study, γδ T cell populations were analyzed by performing immunohistochemical staining in primary breast cancer tissues from patients with different stages of cancer progression. Retrospective multivariate analyses of the correlations between γδ T cell levels and other prognostic factors and clinical outcomes were completed. We found that γδ T cell infiltration and accumulation in breast tumor sites was a general feature in breast cancer patients. Intratumoral γδ T cell numbers were positively correlated with advanced tumor stages, HER2 expression status, and high lymph node metastasis but inversely correlated with relapse-free survival and overall survival of breast cancer patients. Multivariate and univariate analyses of tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells and other prognostic factors further suggested that intratumoral γδ T cells represented the most significant independent prognostic factor for assessing severity of breast cancer compared with the other known factors. Intratumoral γδ T cells were positively correlated with FOXP3+ cells and CD4+ T cells but negatively correlated with CD8+ T cells in breast cancer tissues. These findings suggest that intratumoral γδ T cells may serve as a valuable and independent prognostic biomarker, as well as a potential therapeutic target for human breast cancer.
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