title: [Characteristics and immunologic changes in patients with malignant brain tumors].
abstract: The investigation was concerned with assaying immunity and evaluating the role played by monocytes and tumor cells in the formation of T-cell dysfunction in malignant glioma (MG). The study group included 28 patients with anaplastic astrocytomas (n = 18) and glioblastomas (n = 10). MG patients showed significant changes in the numbers of CD16+ NK-cells and HLA-DR monocytes as well as lowered levels of HLA-DR expression on monocytes and proliferative response of T-lymphocytes as compared with both standard and alternative pathways of activation. Monocytes and macrophages suppressed T-cell activity due to production of prostaglandins E2 in such patients. Enhanced immunosuppression was also reported in 24-hour supernatants of tumor cells. Immune disorders were shown to involve apoptosis-independent mechanisms. Hence, despite the immune privilege of the brain, immunocompetent cells crossed blood-brain barrier and counteracted with tumor cells. As a consequence, monocyte function and cellular cooperation dropped while production of immunosuppressive factors rose, and T-cell dysfunction was brought about through apoptosis-independent mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Clinical Immunology, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Novosibirsk.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Khonina
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Tsentner
authors.forename: O Iu
authors.initials: OIu
authors.lastname: Leplina
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Tikhonova
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Stupak
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Nikonov
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Chërnykh
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ostanin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000276:immunology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000378:metabolism; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D017452:Receptors, IgG