title: Analysis of CD8+CD28- T-suppressor cells in gastric cancer patients.
abstract: Host anti-tumor immune responses can be attenuated by suppressor T cells of the phenotype CD8(+)CD28(-) (T(s) cells). In the present study, we investigated the presence of CD8(+)CD28(-) (T(s) cells) in the peripheral blood compartment of gastric cancer (GC) patients. Flow cytometry was used to detect the population of CD8(+)CD28(-) T(s) cells present in peripheral blood in therapy naïve patients with gastric cancer (n = 26), postoperative chemotherapy naïve gastric cancer patients (n = 23), and healthy controls (n = 27). Meanwhile, the clinical data of gastric cancer patients were analyzed. A significant difference in the percentage of T(s) cells was observed when comparing peripheral blood samples from cancer patients to healthy volunteers (27.08 ± 1.60% versus 10.86 ± 0.75%). In the patient group, the percentage of CD8(+)CD28(-) cells among lymphocytes was higher in patients with LN metastasis than those without LN metastasis. The percentage of CD8(+)CD28(-) cells was also related to tumor infiltration and size, but not with the degree of differentiation of cancer cells. Moreover, the percentage of CD8(+)CD28(-) cells was higher in preoperative gastric cancer patients (26.24 ± 1.78%) than in those of postoperation patients (15.79 ± 1.11%). These findings may reflect the possibility of tumor-induced immunosuppression, and they should be complemented with further studies.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Institute of Jiangsu Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Qiu-Xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Yi-Bei
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xue-Guang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D018106:CD28 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens