title: Foxp3 and IL17 expression in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) and tumor cells - correlated or independent factors?
abstract: Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), as a microenvironment component were studied in various epithelial tumors, with contradictory results. Recent data about regulatory T-cells (Treg) revealed new explanations for pro- and anti-tumor implications of TIL. Tregs immunoprofile was recently completed with Foxp3 expression. A T-cell fraction (Th) is producing cytokine IL17 and is now considered acting in tumor progression. Our study aimed to analyze immunohistochemically (IHC) Foxp3+ and IL17 expression in resected lung adenocarcinomas, since they could become possible targets in the antitumor immunotherapy. The studied material was represented by paraffin-embedded tumor fragments from 59 patients with TIL identified on HE staining. The antibodies used were Foxp3 and IL17. The statistical analysis used logistical regression on SPSS19 software (Chicago, IL, USA). TIL was usually mild or scarce. A positive statistic correlation resulted between the amounts of TIL in peritumoral and intratumoral location but without correlation to histopathological grading. Foxp3 and IL17 were present in TIL lymphocytes, tumor cells and fibroblasts; IL17 was expressed also in periendothelial cells (PEC). Foxp3 positivity was significantly correlated for lymphocytes÷tumor cells, lymphocytes÷fibroblasts and tumor cells÷fibroblasts, suggesting their concerted action. Tumor cells and lymphocytes Foxp3 expression was inversely correlated with the amount of TIL. Between lymphocytic Foxp3 and PEC IL17, we found a weak negative correlation. The TIL had a quite positive correlation with PEC IL17. In these conditions, Foxp3 could be a mediator of the tumor cells inhibitory aggression upon the immune system and could be used as a molecular target for biological antitumor therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, "Victor Babes" National Institute of Pathology, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Florina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vasilescu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arsene
authors.forename: Florina
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cionca
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Comănescu
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Enache
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iosif
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Alexandru
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Georgescu
authors.forename: Camelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dobrea
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bălan
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ardeleanu
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000077192:Adenocarcinoma of Lung; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D020381:Interleukin-17