title: Cytotoxic T cells in basal cell carcinomas of skin.
abstract: Previous studies have suggested the importance of CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells of hosts against neoplasms. Earlier studies and our previous investigation showed that a majority of tumor infiltrating T-cells in human basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) belonged to CD4+ T-cells. CD8+ cells were also present in the peritumor areas of human BCCs, but in smaller numbers. Published evidence indicates the importance of cytotoxic T-cells in antitumor immunity. Cytotoxic T-cells have been identified by using monoclonal antibodies against various cytotoxic T-cell components. In this study, we used monoclonal antibodies to perforin to evaluate the role of cytotoxic T-cells in the host response against basal cell carcinomas. Perforin-expressing T-cells could be identified in the infiltrate of BCCs in frozen tissue sections, and also in antigen-retrieved paraffin-embedded sections of BCCs, and the presence of perforin-expressing T-cells correlated with the infiltration of CD8+ T-cells. These results suggest that cytotoxic T-cells play a role in host defense against human BCCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pennsylvania 15240, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Falo
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abell
mesh_terms: D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D054353:Perforin; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D054353:Perforin; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens