title: Immune cell infiltrates in atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a highly malignant tumor of the central nervous system. Its pathogenesis remains unknown. Like glioblastomas, AT/RTs contain brain cancer stem cells (CSCs) that suppress the immunity of patients and are resistant to conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Considerable infiltration of immune cells, including macrophages/microglia, dendritic cells and T-cells, has been noted in glioblastomas, which correlates with poor prognosis. The present study examines the significance of infiltrating immune cells in four cases of AT/RT; including one associated with an autoimmune disease, Henoch-Schonlein purpura.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumor tissues from four patients with AT/RT were analyzed and compared with those from four patients with glioblastomas. The frequency of immune cells, including CD68+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells, was assessed by scoring for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The infiltration of immune cells was identified in the case of AT/RT associated with HSP and three other cases of infratentorial AT/RTs. Moderate infiltration of CD68+ macrophages/microglia and CD4+ cells was noted in AT/RTs with no significant difference from that in glioblastomas (p > 0.05). However, the infiltration of CD8+ T-cells was significantly higher in AT/RTs than that in glioblastomas (p < 0.05); CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly lower in AT/RTs than that in glioblastomas (p < 0.05). In addition, eosinophils were found in all AT/RTs, but not in glioblastomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest an immune microenvironment of AT/RTs with more immune effectors than glioblastomas. Our observation contributes to understanding the growth environment of AT/RTs for which adjuvant immunotherapy may be potentially beneficial.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. jian-qiang.lu@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Jian-Qiang
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Beverly A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: V Wee
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pugh
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mehta
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins