Differential regulation of IL-2 and IL-4 in patients with tobacco-related oral squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to investigate the systemic immunity in terms of major lymphocyte subsets and the expression of IL-2 and IL-4 in T-cell subsets from peripheral blood of patients with tobacco-related intraoral squamous cell carcinoma.


METHODS
CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets and CD16+ CD56+ natural killer cells, and intracellular cytokines in T-cell subsets were determined by two-colour flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.


RESULTS
Oral cancer patients showed a significantly reduced (P < 0.001) CD3+ and CD4+ T-cell subsets with a lower CD4/CD8 ratio when compared with the normal controls. The frequency of CD3+ IL-4+ and CD8+ IL-4+ T cells were significantly higher (P < 0.001) while CD4+ IL-2+ were significantly lower (P < 0.02) in patients when compared with the normal controls. Late stage of the tumour was associated with reduced expression of IL-2 in both CD4+ (P < 0.05) and CD8+ (P < 0.03) subsets.


CONCLUSIONS
The tobacco-related intraoral squamous cell carcinoma seems to be associated with multiple systemic immune defects particularly, an impaired CD3+ and CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood as well as a differential regulation of IL-2 and IL-4 in CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell subsets. The cytokine response in these patients seems to be skewed from protective Th1 to immunosuppressive Th2 type. Thus these patients could be ideal candidate for immunomodulation therapy.
Manchanda
P
P
Department of Biotechnology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi - 110 029, India.
Sharma
S C
SC
Das
S N
SN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000097:blood; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*
D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D007376:Interleukin-2; D015847:Interleukin-4