Effect of oesophagectomy on monocyte-induced apoptosis of peripheral blood T lymphocytes.
BACKGROUND
Surgical stress has been reported to induce immunosuppression. The mechanisms giving rise to T-cell dysfunction following surgery are still unclear. The cellular mechanisms behind T-cell dysfunction following surgery were investigated, based on the induction of T-cell apoptosis and downregulation of T-cell signalling molecules.


METHODS
Peripheral blood T cells were collected and separated before and after surgery in patients who had oesophagectomy, gastrectomy or cholecystectomy, and studied for their ability to produce cytokines, the induction of T-cell apoptosis with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUPT-biotin nick end labelling methods, and the expression of T-cell signalling zeta (TCR zeta) molecules with intracellular staining.


RESULTS
The increased degree of T-cell apoptosis, downregulation of TCR zeta molecules and impaired cytokine production of T cells were significant on days 1 and 3 after operation in patients who had oesophagectomy, but not after gastrectomy or cholecystectomy. A higher level of T-cell apoptosis was observed in the co-culture with postoperative monocytes than with preoperative monocytes.


CONCLUSIONS
Peripheral blood T cells obtained after oesophagectomy underwent apoptosis that correlated with the downregulation of TCR zeta molecules. Postoperative monocytes induced by surgical stress were able to mediate the T-cell apoptosis.
Kono
K
K
First Department of Surgery, Yamanashi Medical University, 1110 Tamaho, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan. kojikono@res.yamanashi-med.ac.jp
Takahashi
A
A
Iizuka
H
H
Fujii
H
H
Sekikawa
T
T
Matsumoto
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha