Decreased Interferon γ Production in CD3+ and CD3- CD56+ Lymphocyte Subsets in Metastatic Regional Lymph Nodes of Melanoma Patients.
As lymphogenic dissemination is very common in melanoma, regional lymph nodes (LN)s represent first immunological barriers to tumor invasion and play a complex role in antitumor immune defense. In this sense, their most prominent role is the presentation of tumor-derived antigens to naïve T cells and generation of cell-mediated adaptive immune response. Since tumor micro-environment affects immune cell function in this study we have evaluated the ability of T cells and NK cells in metastatic (involved) and non-metastatic regional LNs to produce interferon γ (IFNγ), a pleiotropic cytokine that regulates adaptive antitumor immune response. Our results show reduced IFNγ production in both T and NK lymphocyte subsets and decreased prevalence of T cells in metastatic regional LNs of melanoma patients. The decrease of IFNγ production in T cells was more pronounced with increased number of involved regional LNs indicating tumor-induced functional impairment of both T and NK cell lymphocyte subsets in involved regional LNs. Therefore, shown low IFNγ production in metastatic LNs may represent an obstacle in adaptive cell-mediated antitumor immune response and hence may enable tumor progression.
Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Pasterova 14, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia, radovanovica@ncrc.ac.rs.
Ana
A
Vuletić
Irena
I
Jovanić
Vladimir
V
Jurišić
Zorka
Z
Milovanović
Srđan
S
Nikolić
Igor
I
Spurnić
Gordana
G
Konjević
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; C522918:NCAM1 protein, human; D007371:Interferon-gamma