[CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes and NK cells in the stroma of the uterine cervix of women infected with human papillomavirus].
BACKGROUND
Immune response might be a key element regarding the progression or regression of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in the stroma of the uterine cervix. This study aimed to quantify the presence of CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes and NK cells in the cervical stroma, by means of immunohistochemistry, in high and low grade lesions in patients infected by HPV METHODS: Fifty-six biopsy samples from the uterine cervix were used. Forty-three samples were positive for oncogenic high-risk HPV DNA and had a histopathological diagnosis of high and low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or negative for intraepithelial lesion and malignancy (NILM); while the other 13 samples were negative for HPV DNA with a histopathological diagnosis of NILM RESULTS: Higher quantities of CD4 T lymphocytes were observed in CIN II/III, carcinoma and NILM samples (p = 0.04) and in those in which the viral load was between 10 and 1.000 RLU/PCB. CD8 T lymphocytes were predominant in CIN II/III samples (p = 0.02) and also in samples with viral loads between 100 and 1,000 RLU/PCB. NK cells predominated in samples with low-grade lesions and low viral load


CONCLUSIONS
This study proved that in the initial stages of the infection, in which no high-grade cell abnormalities have yet occurred, no cells that might trigger the effector phase of the immune response.
Alves
Daniella Borges
DB
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Doença Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS.
Tozetti
Inês Aparecida
IA
Gatto
Flávia Almeida
FA
Cassandri
Fernanda
F
Ferreira
Alda Maria Teixeira
AM
Carlos Eurico Dos Santos
Fernandes
F
Falcão
Gustavo Ribeiro
GR
Scapulatempo
Ilzia Doraci Lins
ID
Padovani
Cacilda Tezelli Junqueira
CT
Abdo
Maria Auxiliadora Gomes Sandim
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000821:virology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult