title: Characterization of the mononuclear infiltrate in Bowen's disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ). Evidence for a T cell-mediated anti-tumour immune response.
abstract: We investigated the dermal inflammatory infiltrate and the expression of HLA-DR and beta 2-microglobulin on the tumour cells in 8 Bowen's disease (BD) using a series of monoclonal antibodies. The inflammatory infiltrate was classified as mild, moderate or heavy. The infiltrate in all cases consisted mainly of T cells (55 +/- 21%) and where the T helper (TH) subset predominated over the T suppressor/cytotoxic (TS/C) subset (TH/TS/C ratio of 2.4 +/- 1.0). The mean percentage of HLA-DR positive cells was 58 +/- 18%, Langerhans cells (LC) 4 +/- 1% and Leu-M5 positive cells (monocytes/macrophages) 9 +/- 2%. The mean percentage of B cells and natural killer (NK) cells was 4 +/- 5% and 1 +/- 2% respectively. B cells and NK cells did not invade any of the tumours. In the 5 BD with moderate or heavy infiltrate, TH cells, TS/C cells and Leu-M5 positive cells did invade the tumour. In the tumour area where there was invasion, the number of LC was increased and HLA-DR was expressed on the cells. beta 2-microglobulin was generally expressed on the tumour cells of BD. We concluded that there is evidence for a T cell-mediated anti-tumour immune response which may account for the infrequent invasive growth in BD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermato-Venereology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Habets
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tank
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van Joost
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000032:analysis; D001913:Bowen's Disease / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D002465:Cell Movement; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin