title: Identification of inflammatory cell phenotypes in human oral carcinomas by means of monoclonal antibodies.
abstract: Monoclonal antibodies reacting with human T cell sub-populations, Langerhans cells and macrophages were used to examine the quantitative distribution of immune-competent cells in normal oral mucosa and invasive oral carcinomas. Both immunofluorescent and immunoperoxidase procedures were applied. In normal oral epithelia, the dominant immune-reactive cell was the Langerhans cell, positive for OKT 6 and expressing HLA-DR gene products (OKIa1+). Many intra-epithelial non-epithelial cells (non-keratinocytes), belonged to the lymphocyte system carrying the suppressor/cytotoxic phenotype (OKT 8+). This lymphocyte sub-population was also the most prominent cell type in the normal mucosal stroma. The quantitative evaluation of immune-competent cells in squamous cell carcinomas revealed elevated numbers of all the inflammatory cell sub-populations investigated (suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes, helper/inducer lymphocytes, Langerhans cells, macrophages) compared with the normal oral mucosa. There was a striking increase in suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes (OKT 8+) and in cells of the macrophage system, including Langerhans cells (OKIa1+, OKM 1+, OKT 6+). In the stroma distant to the tumour complexes, many helper/inducer lymphocytes (OKT 4+) were also observed.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II