Accumulation of distinct T cell clonotypes in human solid tumors.
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been described in a variety of human solid tumors. It is unknown whether such T cells are nonspecific inflammatory cells or a subset of specific host immune responses. To examine this question, we have analyzed the clonotypes of TCR beta-chain messages expressed in TIL, draining lymph nodes, and PBL of 10 patients with uterine or ovarian tumors. We report here that TIL bears distinct T cell clonotype accumulations only in patients without obvious metastasis. In contrast, accumulations of clonally expanded T cells were also found in lymph nodes and PBL of patients with metastatic cancer. The numbers and locations of the accumulated T cell clonotypes seemed to correlate with the stage of tumor invasion and the degree of metastasis. These data support the existence of Ag-driven immune responses to solid tumors in vivo.
Division of Rheumatology and Molecular Immunology, St. Marianna University, School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Japan.
K
K
Yamamoto
K
K
Masuko
S
S
Takahashi
Y
Y
Ikeda
T
T
Kato
Y
Y
Mizushima
K
K
Hayashi
K
K
Nishioka
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D002999:Clone Cells; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000276:immunology; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000276:immunology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta