Expression of CD40 by the cells of benign and malignant breast tumors and antitumor action of autologous lymphocytes against chemoresistant and chemosensitive tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of CD40 by cells of benign and malignant tumors of mammary gland, and to compare the efficacy of lymphocytes antitumor activity against drug resistant and sensitive breast tumors in relevance to CD40 expression.


METHODS
Breast tumor explants were cultured with autologous lymphocytes in double diffusion chambers. The results were evaluated by morphological criteria of explants growth. Expression level of molecules on tumor cells was analyzed using immunohistochemical method (paraffin embedded slides), and on lymphocytes - by the method of indirect immunofluorescence.


RESULTS
The highest level of CD40 expression was detected on cells of chemoresistant malignant breast tumors, and the lowest one - on cells of benign breast tumors. The decreased CD40 expression on lymphocytes from patients with drug resistant breast cancer was compared with that on lymphocytes of the patients with drug sensitive breast cancer. The study of antitumor activity of autologous lymphokine activated killer cells (LAK) has shown their pronounced antitumor activity against drug resistant malignant breast tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
Marked antitumor activity of LAK from the patients with drug resistant breast cancer is associated with high expression level of CD40 on tumor cells and with its decreased expression on lymphocytes.
Bereznaya
N M
NM
R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine. berezh@onconet.kiev.ua
Kirnasovskaya
E A
EA
Vinnichuk
Yu D
YD
Belova
O B
OB
Lukyanova
N Yu
NY
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D019013:CD40 Antigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1