title: Renal cell carcinoma-induced immunosuppression: an immunophenotypic study of lymphocyte subpopulations and circulating dendritic cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-induced immune dysfunction in patients at first diagnosis was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The main circulating lymphocyte subsets, the total number of circulating and intratumor dendritic cells and the titers of circulating VEGF were quantified in 47 RCC patients, using flow cytometric, immunohistochemical and ELISA assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite a significant activation of CD3/HLA-DR+ lymphocytes and of the CD56+ NK subset, RCC patients presented a marked immunosuppression of CD4/CD45RA naïve T-cells, CD4/CD45RO memory T-cells, CD16+ NK-cells, and total circulating dendritic cells, as well as a significant increase of lymphocytes co-expressing the CD4 and CD8 antigens. Finally, CD16+/CD56+ NK and DCs were poorly represented in tumor specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The complex immunological dysfunctions demonstrated involve different levels of immunocompetence and indicate a pattern of major disturbance of the immune system.
authors.affiliation: A. Ferrata" Institute of Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology, I.R.C.C.S. San Matteo University Hospital, Piazzale C. Golgi, I-27100 Pavia, Italy. c.porta@smatteo.pv.it
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porta
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bonomi
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lillaz
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Paglino
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rovati
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Imarisio
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morbini
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danova
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mensi
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rovereto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology