Quantitation of MHC antigen expression on colorectal tumours and its association with tumour progression.
A flow cytometric technique has been established for accurately quantitating the cell surface density of MHC antigens and the percentage of cells expressing MHC antigens in 38 colorectal tumours. Thirty-four percent of tumours were partially or completely negative for HLA-ABC antigen expression. Although the quantity of HLA-ABC antigens varied widely, there was no correlation between the density of HLA-ABC antigens, or the percentage of cells expressing these antigens and clinicopathological stage. Fifty percent of the colorectal tumours expressed HLA-DR with varying antigen densities. All of the poorly differentiated tumours expressed HLA-DR but there was no correlation between expression of HLA-DR and clinicopathological stage. The aneuploid tumours expressed more HLA-ABC and HLA-DR antigens on a higher percentage of cells than the diploid tumours. Abnormal expression of the tumour associated antigens CEA, Y haptenic blood group and 791T p72 also correlated with expression of HLA-ABC and HLA-DR antigens on colorectal tumours. The majority of early derived in vitro dividing cells failed to express both HLA-ABC and HLA-DR antigens although they expressed high levels of tumour associated antigens. If there is a correlation between in vitro and in vivo growth perhaps tumours are maintained and seeded by MHC antigen negative cells.
Durrant
L G
LG
Cancer Research Campaign Laboratories, University of Nottingham, UK.
Ballantyne
K C
KC
Armitage
N C
NC
Robins
R A
RA
Marksman
R
R
Hardcastle
J D
JD
Baldwin
R W
RW
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens