title: Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) membrane expression on head-and-neck cancer biopsy-a target for natural killer (NK) cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) was detected on the cell membrane of human tumor cell lines, but not on normal cells. Here we studied Hsp70 membrane expression as a target for natural killer (NK) cells on tumor material and control tissues of head-and-neck cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Membrane-bound Hsp70 was determined by flow cytometry on single-cell suspensions of tumors and the corresponding normal tissues of head-and-neck cancer patients. The cytolytic activity of NK cells against Hsp70-positive tumor cells was measured in a standard cytotoxicity assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 54 of 74 primary tumors were found to be Hsp70 membrane-positive (73%); tongue/mouth, 21 of 24 (88%); oropharynx, 13 of 20 (65%); hypopharynx, 3 of 6 (50%); larynx, 8 of 11 (73%); trachea 1 of 2 (50%); esophagus, 4 of 5 (80%); lymph node metastases, 4 of 6 (67%). The corresponding control tissue was negative for membrane-bound Hsp70. Biopsies (6 of 6) of patients after in vivo gamma-irradiation (fractionated 5 x 2 Gy) were strongly Hsp70 membrane-positive. Irradiated, Hsp70-positive tumor cells are targets for Hsp70-peptide stimulated NK cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An irradiation-inducible, tumor-selective Hsp70 membrane localization provides a target structure for Hsp70-peptide stimulated human NK cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat Medicine (ENT), Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kleinjung
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: Horst Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Feldmann
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bockmühl
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gehrmann
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zilch
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schönberger
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marienhagen
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eilles
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossbacher
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Multhoff
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins