title: Peripheral blood CD40-CD40L expression in human breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. T cell-based immunotherapy for cancer has attracted much attention recently. CD40 and CD40L occupy an important position of specific immune response. In this paper, we want to study the role of co-stimulatory molecules CD40/CD40L and their clinical significance in peripheral blood of patients with breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty breast cancer patients served as observation group, who were diagnosed as having infiltrating ductal breast cancer histopathologically, and 30 healthy as control group. Flow cytometric analysis was conducted to detect the expression of CD40 and CD40L on B and T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The relationship between the CD40/CD40L expression levels and pathological grades was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression levels of CD40/CD40L on B cells and T cells in breast cancer patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (all P < 0.001), and CD40/CD40L levels had a significant positive relationship with pathological grades (all P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The upregulated levels of co-stimulators CD40/CD40L on B cells and T cells may play an important role in the immune pathogenesis of breast cancer.
authors: Liaoning Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 242 Shayang Road, Shenyang, 110005, People's Republic of China.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Pan
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Gong
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Yang
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Guo
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Sun
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000097:blood*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019013:CD40 Antigens; D023201:CD40 Ligand