T-regulatory lymphocytes in peripheral blood of gastric and colorectal cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the absolute number of T-regulatory cells (Tregs; CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) in the peripheral blood of gastric and colorectal cancer patients.


METHODS
We enrolled 70 cancer patients (33 gastric cancer, 37 colorectal cancer) and 17 healthy volunteers. The CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs in the peripheral blood were analyzed with flow cytometry. The absolute numbers of Tregs were calculated based on the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells percentage of CD3+CD4+ cells and the absolute numbers of CD3+CD4+ cells per microliter.


RESULTS
The mean number of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells per microliter in colorectal cancer patients was 15.7 (SD: 21.8), for gastric cancer patients 12.2 (SD: 14.3), and for controls 17.5 (SD: 11.4). The absolute number of Tregs was significantly lower in gastric cancer patients than in controls (P = 0.026). There was no statistically significant difference for gastric vs colorectal cancer or colorectal cancer vs controls. The absolute number of Tregs was also significantly depressed in N+ vs N⁻ cancer patients [22.0 (27.7) vs 10.1 (9.0), P = 0.013], and in the subgroup of gastric cancer patients [30.3 (27.6) vs 9.6 (8.0), P = 0.003]. No statistical difference was observed in the proportion of Tregs in the CD4+ population between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The absolute number of Tregs in peripheral blood of gastric cancer but not colorectal cancer patients was significantly decreased in comparison with that in healthy controls.
1st Department of General and Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 31-501 Krakow, Poland. msszczep@cyf-kr.edu.pl
Antoni M
AM
Szczepanik
Maciej
M
Siedlar
Marek
M
Sierzega
Dominika
D
Goroszeniuk
Karolina
K
Bukowska-Strakova
Antoni
A
Czupryna
Jan
J
Kulig
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D002469:Cell Separation; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2006 Sep;55(9):1064-71
16328385
Clin Cancer Res. 2003 Oct 1;9(12):4404-8
14555512
Langenbecks Arch Surg. 1999 Oct;384(5):473-8
10552294
Immune Netw. 2009 Dec;9(6):209-35
20157609
Clin Exp Immunol. 2007 Dec;150(3):523-30
17956583
Int J Cancer. 2010 Jun 1;126(11):2635-43
19856313
Nat Med. 2007 Mar;13(3):250-3
17342117
Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Aug 15;14(16):5166-72
18698034
BMC Gastroenterol. 2009 Sep 04;9:65
19732435
J Neuroimmunol. 2007 Aug;188(1-2):117-27
17582512
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2010 May;59(5):653-61
19908042
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2010 Nov;136(11):1745-54
20221638
J Immunother. 2010 May;33(4):435-41
20386463
Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2008 Jun;57(6):813-21
17962941
J Immunol Methods. 2007 Jul 31;324(1-2):92-104
17582431
Gastroenterology. 2009 Oct;137(4):1270-9
19577568
Pancreas. 2006 Jan;32(1):22-8
16340740
Int J Cancer. 2008 May 15;122(10):2286-93
18224687
J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2010 Oct;136(10):1585-95
20221835
Br J Cancer. 2008 Dec 2;99(11):1867-73
18985040
J Leukoc Biol. 2007 Jan;81(1):144-53
16959895
Clin Immunol. 2005 Apr;115(1):10-8
15870015
Clin Immunol. 2010 Mar;134(3):277-88
19900843
J Surg Res. 2005 Mar;124(1):151-7
15734494
J Immunol. 1995 Aug 1;155(3):1151-64
7636184
Mech Ageing Dev. 2009 Aug;130(8):509-17
19540259
Am J Pathol. 2009 May;174(5):1575-87
19349365