Programmed death-1 upregulation is correlated with dysfunction of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T lymphocytes in human non-small cell lung cancer.
T-cell tolerance is an important mechanism for tumor escape, but the molecular pathways involved in T-cell tolerance remain poorly understood. It remains unknown whether the inhibitory immunoreceptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) plays a role in conditions of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we detected PD-1 expression on CD8+ T cells from healthy control peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the PBMCs of NSCLC patients as well as NSCLC tissues. Results showed that tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells had increased PD-1 expression and impaired immune function, including reducing cytokine production capability and impairing capacity to proliferate. Blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway by the PD-L1-specific antibody partially restored cytokine production and cell proliferation. These data provide direct evidence that the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is involved in CD8+ T-cell dysfunction in NSCLC patients. Moreover, blocking this pathway provides a potential therapy target in lung cancer.
Zhang
Yan
Y
Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
Huang
Shengdong
S
Gong
Dejun
D
Qin
Yanghua
Y
Shen
Qian
Q
D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015703:Antigens, CD; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor