title: Human papilloma virus status of penile squamous cell carcinoma is associated with differences in tumour-infiltrating T lymphocytes.
abstract: Meta-analyses show that approximately half of all squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of the penis are associated with a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. As data about the tumour microenvironment of HPV-positive and HPV-negative penile carcinomas is scarce and conflicting, we examined tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte populations in such cases. The HPV status of 28 penile SCCs was determined by polymerase chain reaction, while the number and distribution of different lymphocyte populations were analysed by immunohistochemistry on whole sections of paraffin-embedded tumour specimens. The average number of tumour-infiltrating T cells in HPV-associated SCC was higher than in HPV-negative SCC, and their phenotype showed strong polarization towards a T helper 1 and cytotoxic immune response. In addition, we identified more tumour-infiltrating regulatory T cells in HPV-positive carcinomas, which might represent a mechanism of immune evasion. The present study provides further evidence that the tumour microenvironment of HPV-positive carcinomas differs from that of HPV-negative carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany, philipp.lohneis@charite.de.
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lohneis
authors.forename: Sengül
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boral
authors.forename: Andreas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: Annika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schewe
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dietel
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Anagnostopoulos
authors.forename: Korinna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jöhrens
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D027383:Papillomaviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology*; D010641:Phenotype; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019941:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit