The effect of radiation therapy on immune function in patients with squamous cell lung carcinoma.
The immune response is impaired in patients with malignancy, and radiation therapy (RT) can exacerbate the cancer induced-attenuation of immune response. In order to search for the fine mechanisms behind the RT-induced attenuation of cell-mediated immune response, we measured the number of lymphocytes in peripheral blood, its subsets, and lymphoblast transformation induced by phytohemagglutinin (PHA), purified protein derivatives (PPD), mitogenic monoclonal antibody anti-CD3, and mitogenic combination of anti-CD2 antibodies 9-1 and 9.6 before and after RT in 19 patients with squamous cell lung cancer. Radiation therapy significantly decreased the total numbers of lymphocytes, CD-3, CD-4, and CD8-positive lymphocytes in peripheral blood. However, RT did not change the percentages of lymphocytes and its subsets. Radiation therapy increased the percentage of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptor-positive lymphocytes, and RT significantly decreased in vitro lymphoblast transformation by PHA, PPD, or monoclonal antibodies to T-cell surface antigens (anti-CD2 or anti-CD3). In vitro incubation with IL-2 did not increase lymphoblast transformation by anti-CD3 before RT but significantly increased after RT. In conclusion, we suggest that one of the fine mechanisms behind the RT-induced suppression of immune responsiveness of patients with lung cancer is a defect in IL-2 synthesis by lymphocytes.
Uh
S
S
Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
S M
SM
Kim
H T
HT
Chung
Y
Y
Kim
Y H
YH
Park
C
C
Huh
S J
SJ
Lee
H B
HB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000276:immunology; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000528:radiation effects; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000494:pharmacology
D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D018801:CD2 Antigens; D017252:CD3 Complex; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D014373:Tuberculin