title: Immune-associated cells in basal cell carcinomas of skin.
abstract: Increased numbers of mast cells (MCs) and lymphocytes infiltrating in basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) have been observed. The presence of these infiltrating cells has been considered a sign of an immunologic anti-tumor response in the host, but the relationship of these two cell populations has not been examined. To elucidate this possible relationship, 30 non-ulcerated BCCs were analyzed. Frozen sections of the tumors were stained with monoclonal antibodies for Langerhans' cells, lymphocyte subsets and natural killer cells. Fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC)-avidin as well as anti-tryptase and anti-CD45RO monoclonal antibodies were used on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections for mast cell and T cell identification, respectively. B cells and natural killer cells were rarely observed in these tumors. MCs and T cells were quantified by direct enumeration and expressed as number of cells per high power field (hpf). FITC-avidin and anti-tryptase antibodies were equivalent in their ability to identify MCs. MC content in BCCs ranged from 1.0 to 31 cells/hpf. The number of T cells ranged from 0 to 50 cells/hpf with helper/suppressor cell ratios of 0.2 to 10. There was no correlation between helper/suppressor ratios and mast cell numbers; however, an inverse relationship was observed between the numbers of T cells and the number of mast cells in these tumors. These studies indicate that T cells and MCs are the primary immune cell populations responding to BCCs, and that decreased numbers of T cells are associated with more aggressive tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Brod
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tharp
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000473:pathology*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*