Analysis of T-cell clonality pattern in tumor samples of breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
A large body of experimental evidence has confirmed that different tumors, including breast carcinomas, can stimulate specific T-cell-mediated immune responses. In this study we have analyzed patterns of T-cell clonality in tumor samples of 54 breast cancer patients classified as lymph node negative, N0 (n=16), or lymph node positive, N+ (n=38). The clonality of T-cells was analyzed by the PCR-PAGE method.


RESULTS
Monoclonal/oligoclonal (M/O) T-cell populations were found in 15 breast cancer patients, nine N+ and six N0. In all analyzed groups (N+ + N0, N+, N0) the incidence of relapse was not significantly different between patients with M/O and patients with polyclonal T-cells. Comparison of disease-free interval (DFI) between patients divided according to the presence of TCRgamma monoclonality/oligoclonality showed a marginally significant difference only in the group of N+ patients within the first 24 months of follow-up. Patients with a M/O T-cell population had a shorter DFI than patients with a polyclonal T-cell population. This difference was not observed when the complete follow-up period was considered in the same group of patients. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between patients with M/O and patients with polyclonal T-cells.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results imply that tumor infiltrating T-cells are usually polyclonal. The pattern of T-cell clonality does not correlate with the incidence of relapse and the duration of DFI and OS in the analyzed groups of breast cancer patients, excluding N+ patients with M/O T-cells who had a shorter DFI in the first 24 months of follow-up. This observation suggests that polyclonal T-cell populations may provide a broader spectrum of T-cell-mediated antitumor response.
Cikota
B M
BM
Institute of Medical Research, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro. cbojana@ptt.yu
Branković-Magić
M V
MV
Jović
V S
VS
Radulović
S S
SS
Magić
Z M
ZM
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000145:classification; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000276:immunology