Prognostic value of CD57(+) T lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Natural killer (NK)-like T cells comprising CD56(+) T cells and CD57(+) T cells belong to a subset of CD1d-independent NKT cells playing an important role in regulating immune responses. Although NK-like T cells are reported to increase in patients with advanced gastric carcinomas, it remains unknown how NK-like T cells are involved in disease progression in gastric cancer patients.


METHODS
The proportions of Th1 cells (interferon [IFN]-gamma-producing CD4(+) T cells), Th2 cells (IL-4-producing CD4(+) T cells), and NK-like T cells (CD56(+) T cells and CD57(+) T cells) in the peripheral blood of 48 gastric cancer patients and 20 healthy controls were measured by two-color flow cytometry analysis and by intracellular cytokine analysis to investigate an association of these immune cells with the survival rate of gastric cancer patients.


RESULTS
Univariate analysis showed that Th1 cells and CD57(+) T cells, as well as some clinicopathological factors, significantly influenced the survival rate. CD57-high (> or ==18%) patients survived for a significantly shorter period after surgery compared to CD57-low patients (P = 0.046; Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test) in the stage III-IV patients, but not in the stage I-II patients. Further, multivariate analysis showed that lymphatic invasion was a statistically significant independent risk factor in all the gastric cancer patients, but the proportion of CD57(+) T cells as well as depth of tumor were statistically significant independent risk factors in patients with advanced carcinomas (stage III-IV).


CONCLUSIONS
An increased proportion (> or ==18%) of CD57(+) T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced gastric carcinomas could indicate a poor prognosis.
Akagi
Junji
J
National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Minami Hospital, 2338 Toyofuku, Matsubase-machi, Uki, Kumamoto, 869-0593, Japan. shin-akagi@nifty.com
Baba
Hideo
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015996:Survival Rate; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D018959:CD57 Antigens; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma