title: Altered Expression of Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors and NKG2D on Peripheral Blood NK Cell Subsets in Breast Cancer Patients.
abstract: Human natural killer (NK) cells are considered professional cytotoxic cells that are integrated into the effector branch of innate immunity during antiviral and antitumoral responses. The purpose of this study was to examine the peripheral distribution and expression of NK cell activation receptors from the fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 30 breast cancer patients prior to any form of treatment (including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy), 10 benign breast pathology patients, and 24 control individuals. CD3-CD56dimCD16brightNK cells (CD56dimNK) and CD3-CD56brightCD16dim/-NK cells (CD56brightNK) were identified using flow cytometry. The circulating counts of CD56dimand CD56brightNK cells were not significantly different between the groups evaluated, nor were the counts of other leukocyte subsets between the breast cancer patients and benign breast pathology patients. However, in CD56dimNK cells, NKp44 expression was higher in breast cancer patients (P = .0302), whereas NKp30 (P = .0005), NKp46 (P = .0298), and NKG2D (P = .0005) expression was lower with respect to healthy donors. In CD56brightNK cells, NKp30 (P = .0007), NKp46 (P = .0012), and NKG2D (P = .0069) expression was lower in breast cancer patients compared with control group. Only NKG2D in CD56brightNK cells (P = .0208) and CD56dimNK cells (P = .0439) showed difference between benign breast pathology and breast cancer patients. Collectively, the current study showed phenotypic alterations in activation receptors on CD56dimand CD56brightNK cells, suggesting that breast cancer patients have decreased NK cell cytotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Immunity and Inflammation Research Unit, Hospital Juárez de México, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico; Cellular Regulation Laboratory, Biochemistry Department, National School of Biological Sciences, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Nayeli Goreti
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Nieto-Velázquez
authors.affiliation: Immunobiochemistry Department, National Institute of Perinatology, Isidro Espinosa de los Reyes, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Yessica Dorin
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Torres-Ramos
authors.affiliation: Cellular Regulation Laboratory, Biochemistry Department, National School of Biological Sciences, IPN, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: José Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Immunity and Inflammation Research Unit, Hospital Juárez de México, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Lorena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Godoy
authors.affiliation: Immunity and Inflammation Research Unit, Hospital Juárez de México, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez-Cortés
authors.affiliation: Immunity and Inflammation Research Unit, Hospital Juárez de México, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Immunity and Inflammation Research Unit, Hospital Juárez de México, Ministry of Health, Mexico City, Mexico. Electronic address: marioadan@inmunoquimica.com.
authors.forename: Mario Adán
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Moreno-Eutimio