Premium
Immune response in cervical lymph nodes from patients with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma
Author(s) -
Gonçalves Andréia Souza,
Costa Nádia Lago,
Arantes Diego Antônio Costa,
Cássia Gonçalves Alencar Rita,
Silva Tarcília Aparecida,
Batista Aline Carvalho
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/jop.12039
Subject(s) - lymph , cervical lymph nodes , medicine , lymph node , immune system , cd8 , cytotoxic t cell , pathology , metastasis , immunology , biology , cancer , biochemistry , in vitro
Background Deficient immune response in the cervical lymph nodes of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma may contribute to dissemination of metastatic neoplastic cells. This study evaluates the immune response in cervical lymph nodes from patients with primary oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma ( OCSCC ). Methods The density of immature ( CD1a + ) and mature ( CD83 + ) dendritic cells ( DCs ), cytotoxic T lymphocytes CD8 + /perforin + ( CTLs ), and Foxp3 + regulatory T (Tregs) cells in the lymph nodes of patients with OCSCC without cervical lymph node metastases ( LN1 ) (negative) ( n = 10) were identified through immunohistochemistry. From patients with cervical lymph node metastases, samples were obtained of lymph nodes both with ( LM2 ) (positive) ( n = 10) and without ( LN2 ) (negative) ( n = 10) metastases. Results The results demonstrated that the number of CD1a + and Foxp3 + cells was significantly higher in the LM2 group than in either the LN1 or the LN2 group. In addition, the number of CD8 + /perforin + and CD83 + cells was significantly lower in the LM2 group than in the other groups. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate a higher density of immature DCs and Tregs cells and a lower density of mature DCs and activated CTLs in metastatic than in non‐metastatic lymph nodes. These findings might indicate an immunosuppressive microenvironment, which could be involved in the spread of neoplastic cells to cervical lymph nodes.