title: Lung tissue and tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes in patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): moderate/severe versus mild stage of COPD.
abstract: Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells have been suggested to be key players in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We wanted to investigate the phenotype of lung tissue T lymphocytes (LTL) and tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) in smokers with peripheral non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with moderate/severe versus mild COPD. Lung tissue and tumour samples were obtained from patients with moderate/severe stage of COPD (n = 10) and from patients with mild stage of COPD (n = 7) at lung resection for a solitary peripheral NSCLC, processed and analysed by flow cytometry. The flow-cytometric results showed that lung tissue T cells, regardless of the severity of COPD, were mostly of the activated phenotype, expressed the CXCR3 chemokine receptor characteristic of type 1 T cells, and did neither significantly differ in the expression of activation markers (CD69, CD25 and HLA-DR), differentiation markers (CD27 and CD28) and chemokine receptors (CXCR3 and CCR4) between the selected groups, nor showed any significant correlation with lung function measured as forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) or TLCO. Compared with LTL, a significantly greater proportion of TIL expressed the activation markers CD69 and CD25, but a lower proportion showed a fully differentiated CD27- 28- phenotype. We conclude that lung LTL patterns are similar in NSCLC patients with moderate/severe or mild stages of COPD, and are not significantly related to lung function. LTL and TIL possess different phenotype characteristics. The majority of tumour tissue T cells are activated, but it seems that their process of differentiation is incomplete.
authors.affiliation: University Clinic of Respiratory and Allergic Diseases, Golnik, Slovenia. mateja.marc@klinika-golnik.si
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Marc
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korosec
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sok
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ihan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosnik
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012907:Smoking / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor