title: Profile of immune cells in lymph nodes draining human malignant tumors.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to characterize and quantify cells involved in immune response in metastasis-free regional lymph nodes (RLNs) draining different human epithelial tumors and compare them (by immunohistochemistry) with control lymph nodes from patients with non malignant diseases. We showed that T cells number was decreased in RLNs as compared to the controls with reduction in both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells subsets and an inverted ratio (CD4+: CD8+). B lymphocytes and follicular dendritic cells were decreased with respect to the controls. S100+ dendritic cells (DCs) and mature DCs were detected in T dependent areas. Their mean number was significantly lower as compared to control. Immature DCs were significantly diminished compared to RLN and control nodes. CD57+ cells, follicular T helper cells and/or NK cells, were localized in the clear zone of germinal centres and their mean number was significantly increased. There were no CD57+ cells in hypoplastic follicles. In this study we show that RLNs draining human cancer present reduction in almost all immune cells, except CD57+ cells. These findings may be related to the deficient anti-tumor immune response in patients with cancer and subsequent tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Buenos Aires. vdigirol@med.unlp.edu.ar
authors.forename: Wanda
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Di Girolamo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coronato
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Portiansky
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laguens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology