title: Regulatory T cells increase in breast cancer and in stage IV breast cancer.
abstract: Expression levels of VEGF and Her-2, levels of T-regulatory (Treg) cells, levels of CD3+ cells, and ratios of Th (CD4+ T cells)/Tr (Treg) cells were compared between stage I, II, III, and IV breast cancer patients (n = 120) prior to chemotherapy and healthy women (n = 30). Cells from peripheral blood were counted by flow cytometry, Her-2 and VEGF expression was detected by pathological examination, and Her-2 was detected by FISH. Breast cancer patients had more Treg cells and a lower ratio of Th/Tr cells than the healthy women. Stage IV breast cancer patients had more Treg cells and a lower ratio of Th/Tr cells than stage I, II, or III breast cancer patients. Patients positive for VEGF had a lower ratio of Th/Tr cells compared with patients negative for VEGF, and those positive for both VEGF and Her-2 also had a lower ratio of Th/Tr cells compared with patients not positive for both VEGF and Her-2. The decreased Th/Tr cells ratio indicates impaired immune function, suggesting that the stage IV breast cancer and the Her-2/VEGF-positive breast cancer patients have lower immune function.
authors: Cancer Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhi-kuan
authors: ZK
authors: Wang
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Yang
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Yi
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Jun-lan
authors: JL
authors: Yang
authors: Liang-liang
authors: LL
authors: Wu
authors: Zhen-hong
authors: ZH
authors: Zhou
authors: Shun-chang
authors: SC
authors: Jiao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human