title: CD20+T cells have a predominantly Tc1 effector memory phenotype and are expanded in the ascites of patients with ovarian cancer.
abstract: Recently, a small subset of T cells that expresses the B cell marker CD20 has been identified in healthy volunteers and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The origin of these CD20-positive T cells as well as their relevance in human disease remains unclear. Here, we identified that after functional B cell/T cell interaction CD20 molecules are transferred to the cell surface of T cells by trogocytosis together with the established trogocytosis marker HLA-DR. Further, the presence of CD20 on isolated CD20+T cells remained stable for up to 48h ofex vivoculture. These CD20+T cells almost exclusively produced IFNγ (∼70% vs. ∼20% in the CD20-T cell population) and were predominantly (CD8+) effector memory T cells (∼60-70%). This IFNγ producing and effector memory phenotype was also determined for CD20+T cells as detected in the peripheral blood and ascitic fluids of ovarian cancer (OC) patients. In the latter, the percentage of CD20+T cells was further strongly increased (from ∼6% in peripheral blood to 23% in ascitic fluid). Taken together, the data presented here indicate that CD20 is transferred to T cells upon intimate T cell/B cell interaction. Further, CD20+T cells are of memory and IFNγ producing phenotype and are present in increased amounts in ascitic fluid of OC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruyn
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory; Department of Surgery; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Valerie R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Wiersma
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maartje C A
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Wouters
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory; Department of Surgery; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Douwe F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Samplonius
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Harry G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Klip
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory; Department of Surgery; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wijnand
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Helfrich
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hans W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Nijman
authors.affiliation: St Luke's Campus, University of Exeter Medical School ; Exeter, Devon, UK ; Department of Biochemistry; University of Alberta ; Edmonton, AB Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eggleton
authors.affiliation: Surgical Research Laboratory; Department of Surgery; University Medical Center Groningen; University of Groningen ; The Netherlands ; St Luke's Campus, University of Exeter Medical School ; Exeter, Devon, UK.
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bremer
keywords: APC, Antigen-Presenting Cell; Ascites; CD20; CTL, Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte; FSC, Forward Scatter; OC, Ovarian Cancer; PBMC, Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell; Regulatory T cell; SCC, Side Scatter; TC, Cytotoxic T cell; TCM, Central Memory T cell; TEM, Effector Memory T cell; TH, Helper T cell; TIL, Tumor Infiltrating T cell; TNaïve, Naïve T cell; TTD, Terminally Differentiated T cell; Treg; cancer immunology; ovarian cancer; trogocytosis