title: Subpopulations of human T-lymphocytes. XIX. T-cells and T-cells with receptors for IgMFc (T mu), IgGFc (T gamma), or IgAFc (T alpha) in the peripheral blood and regional lymph nodes of patients with untreated breast cancer.
abstract: Peripheral blood and regional lymph node mononuclear cells from 43 untreated patients with breast cancer were analyzed for the proportions of total T-cells and T-cells with receptors for the Fc portion of IgM (T mu), IgG (T gamma), or IgA (T alpha). Proportions of total T-cells and T mu cells both in peripheral blood and lymph nodes from breast cancer patients were comparable to those from health controls. The proportion of T gamma cells, however, was significantly (P less than 0.01) increased in the peripheral blood and lymph nodes from breast cancer patients as compared to that from controls. The proportion of T alpha in the peripheral blood was comparable; however, when compared to the number of T alpha cells in control lymph nodes, T alpha cells were increased (P less than 0.025) in the regional lymph nodes from patients with breast cancer. When data on the proportions of T-cells and T-cell subsets were analyzed according to the presence or absence of metastatic disease in the regional lymph nodes, the proportion of T gamma cells was significantly (P less than 0.025) higher in the peripheral blood from patients with metastatic disease than in patients with nonmetastatic disease. This study demonstrates an abnormality of T-cell subsets in the peripheral blood and the regional lymph nodes from patients with breast cancer. The significance of these observations is discussed.
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000032:analysis*; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C036832:Fc(alpha) receptor; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017452:Receptors, IgG; C035311:immunoglobulin M receptor