title: Phenotypic identification of mononuclear cells in oral premalignant lesions and cancer by monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: To explore the nature and importance of mononuclear cells of different phenotypes in oral premalignant lesions and oral cancer, we studied biopsy specimens from 21 oral red and/or white lesions (6 hyperkeratosis, 3 mild dysplasia, 4 severe dysplasia and 8 squamous cell carcinoma), using monoclonal antibodies and avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex staining. Peripheral blood samples (PB) from 4 normal subjects and 5 reactive lymph nodes (LN) were used as controls for the technique. T11-positive cells were the predominant phenotype (74-78%) in all cases examined. The T4/T8 ratio in severe dysplasia was significantly lower than that in mild dysplasia (p less than or equal to 0.05). These observations support the hypothesis of a role for cellular immune responses in oral premalignant lesions and oral cancer. The predominance of T cells may represent the local expression of immunity against antigens (viral or other). The decreased T4/T8 ratio observed in severe dysplasia may represent a transitory stage of local immunosuppression, which may be of critical importance for the progression into carcinoma. Phenotypic variations in mononuclear cell infiltrates in these conditions could be diagnostic value.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal