title: Effects of transpupillary thermotherapy on immunological parameters and apoptosis in a case of primary uveal melanoma.
abstract: Transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) is a new treatment modality for uveal melanoma. We studied whether application of TTT influences the immunogenicity of the tumour cells in vivo or the expression of molecules related to apoptosis. Immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies directed against HLA molecules, HMB45, P53, Fas ligand (FasL), Fas, Bcl-2 and tumour-infiltrating cells was applied to sections of an enucleated eye containing a uveal melanoma that received TTT 1 week before enucleation. The innermost part of the tumour which had been exposed directly to the laser treatment showed no staining for HLA antigens, nor for Fas or FasL epitopes. The intermediate part of the tumour showed a wet necrosis and HLA expression similar to the expression in the peripheral tumour. A large number of macrophages were observed in the necrotic as well as the intact tumour tissue, especially bordering the wet necrotic area. FasL and Bcl-2 were only expressed in the viable, outer part of the tumour. This immunological evaluation of one case of uveal melanoma treated with TTT revealed that TTT may not only have a direct destructive effect on the primary tumour, but may also influence the immunogenicity of uveal melanoma cells, induce infiltration of macrophages into the tumour, and induce apoptosis. The presence of many macrophages suggests that they play a role in the removal of the TTT-treated tumour tissue by phagocytosis.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Ophthalmology, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. schurmans@worldonline.nl
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Schurmans
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: De Waard-Siebinga
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Keunen
authors.forename: J U
authors.initials: JU
authors.lastname: Prause
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jager
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D002830:Choroid Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015789:HLA-A2 Antigen; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D019014:fas Receptor; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule; C505661:FASLG protein, human