Reduced frequency of NKT-like cells in patients with progressive chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a subset of innate immune cells displaying a limited repertoire of antigen specificities and CD1d restriction. Little is known about contribution of NKT cells in cancer initiation and progression. In this study, the frequencies of NKT-like cells, B cells expressing CD1d molecule and CD4(+) regulatory (Treg) cells were analyzed in 40 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and 15 healthy subjects by flow cytometry. Our results showed that the frequency of CD3(+)CD56(+) NKT-like cells is significantly decreased in progressive (4.9 ± 0.8 % of total CD3(+) T cells) compared with indolent (8.1 ± 1.2 %, p = 0.036) patients and healthy subjects (10.6 ± 1.7 %, p = 0.003). However, no association was found between NKT-like cell frequency and immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region gene (IGHV) mutation or CD38 and ZAP70 expression. On the other hand, expression of CD1d molecule was significantly higher in leukemic B cells of patients with CLL (75 ± 1.5 % of total CD19(+) B cells) compared to B cells from healthy subjects (59.6 ± 2.2 %, p < 0.001), with no significant difference between progressive and indolent patients. Interestingly, the frequency of Treg cells was inversely correlated with that of NKT-like cells in patients with CLL (r = -0.4, p = 0.002). Our results suggest a protective role for NKT-like cells in patients with CLL, which seems to be downregulated presumably by Treg cells.
Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, 14155, Iran.
Farhad
F
Jadidi-Niaragh
Mahmood
M
Jeddi-Tehrani
Bita
B
Ansaripour
Seyed Mohsen
SM
Razavi
Ramazan Ali
RA
Sharifian
Fazel
F
Shokri
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D055610:Antigens, CD1d / Q000276:immunology; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
D055610:Antigens, CD1d; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region