title: Association between RCAS1 expression and microenvironmental immune cell death in uterine cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  : The presence of regional lymph node metastasis is one of the prognostic factors for uterine cervical cancer. The development of metastasis requires that cancer cells avoid lymphocyte attack. Impaired lymphocyte function is mediated by apoptotic factors including receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells (RCAS1), Fas ligand (FasL), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Our aim was to evaluate the association between expression of these factors and microenvironmental lymphocyte apoptosis in this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  : Immunohistochemical methods were used to determine the relationship between the expression of RCAS1, FasL, and TNF-alpha, and the number of apoptotic lymphocytes in primary lesions and metastatic lymph nodes in patients with cervical cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : Expression of these apoptosis-inducing molecules was quite different in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes: RCAS1 expression in lymph nodes was significantly higher than that in primary lesions (P < 0.0001), whereas FasL and TNF-alpha expressions at these two locations were not significantly different. The number of cells with positive expression of RCAS1, but not of FasL or TNF-alpha, was significantly correlated with the number of apoptotic lymphocytes in uterine cervix and metastatic lymph nodes (P < 0.0001 for both).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : RCAS1 expression may be related to tumor cell evasion of immune surveillance via induction of lymphocyte apoptosis in primary lesions and metastatic lymph nodes in uterine cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Maidashi 3-1-1, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan. kenzo@gynob.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyamoto
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirakawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Fusanori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yotsumoto
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hitoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C120762:EBAG9 protein, human; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha