title: Alterations in the frequency of dendritic cell subsets in the peripheral circulation of patients with squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck.
abstract: Patients with advanced squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) are frequently immunocompromised. Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells that play a role in antitumor immune responses. Using multicolor flow cytometry, the percentages of lineage-negative (LIN(-)) and DR(+) DC precursors, as well as their LIN(-)DR(+)CD11c(+) (myeloid) and LIN(-)DR(+)CD123(+) (lymphoid) subsets, were determined in the peripheral blood of 36 patients with SCCHN before surgery. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 28 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were used as controls. The proportions of LIN(-)DR(+) cells were found to be comparable in the circulation of patients and controls. However, the relative level of DR expression in LIN(-)DR(+) DC was lower in patients than in controls, suggesting a difference in the maturity of DC. The relative proportion of LIN(-)DR(+)CD123(+) cells in the LIN(-)DR(+) subset of DC did not differ significantly in patients compared with normal individuals. However, the percentage of myeloid-derived LIN(-)DR(+)CD11c(+) DCs was significantly lower (P < 0.002) in SCCHN patients than in controls. Of the 13 patients who were restudied 6 weeks after surgery, 9 showed an increase of the myeloid-derived LIN(-)DR(+)CD11c(+) DC subset postoperatively. This observation suggests that deficiency in the myeloid-derived DC precursors in patients with SCCHN is related to the presence of tumor and is reversible. An overall decrease in the myeloid-derived subset of DC could contribute to the failure of SCCHN patients to develop effective antitumor immune responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller-Berghaus
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: Jonas T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Storkus
authors.forename: Theresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Whiteside
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D019070:Cell Lineage; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D022423:Myeloid Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD