title: Functional and phenotypic analysis of lymphocytes in head and neck cancer.
abstract: We compared the phenotype and antitumor effector function of lymphocytes obtained from tumor tissues, lymph nodes, and the peripheral blood of patients with head and neck cancer. Freshly isolated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were deficient in CD4+ T cells in comparison with lymph node lymphocytes (LNL) and peripheral blood lymphocytes. A significantly higher CD4/CD8 ratio observed in LNL vs tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and peripheral blood lymphocytes was attributable to both a significant enrichment in CD4+ T cells as well as a decrease in CD8+ T cells. The percentage of natural killer cells (CD3-CD56+) was uniformly low in both tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and LNL. In patients with cervical metastases, LNL contained an increased proportion of CD16+ cells. Tumor-involved lymph nodes were not enriched in the CD8+C11b+ subset of T "suppressor" lymphocytes compared with uninvolved lymph nodes. Also, tumor-involved lymph nodes had significantly fewer CD4+ T cells than did uninvolved lymph nodes. In comparison with peripheral blood lymphocytes, freshly isolated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and LNL were depleted of cytotoxic effector cells, as indicated by low or absent cytotoxic activity against tumor cell targets. The ability to generate lymphokine-activated killer cells was significantly reduced in LNL in comparison with peripheral blood lymphocytes. In patients with head and neck cancer, depressed local and regional antitumor responses are associated with a deficiency of functional cytotoxic effector cells rather than an increase in suppressor T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Snyderman
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Whiteside
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D010641:Phenotype; D011379:Prognosis; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD