Immune cell subtypes and cytokines in lung tumor microenvironment: influence of COPD

Tang, Jun; Ramis Cabrer, Daniel, 1993-; Curull Serrano, Víctor; Wang, Xuejie; Qin, Liyun; Mateu Jiménez, Mercè, 1990-; Duran Jordà, Xavier, 1974-; Pijuan Andujar, Lara; Rodríguez-Fuster, Alberto; Aguiló Espases, Rafael; Barreiro Portela, Esther

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers12051217

Immune cell subtypes and cytokines in lung tumor microenvironment: influence of COPD

Llicència

Citació

Tang J, Ramis-Cabrer D, Curull V, Wang X, Qin L, Mateu-Jiménez M. et al. Immune cell subtypes and cytokines in lung tumor microenvironment: influence of COPD. Cancers (Basel). 2020 May 13; 12(5):1217. DOI: 10.3390/cancers12051217

Resum

Background: The immune microenvironment plays a role in tumorigenesis. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an independent risk factor for lung cancer (LC). We hypothesized that immune profile characterized by T regulatory (Treg), natural killer (NK), and plasma cells, as well as interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon-gamma, may differ within tumors of LC patients with/without COPD. Methods: Treg (anti-CD3 and anti-forkhead boxP3 antibodies), NK (anti-NCR1 antibody), IgG (anti-CD138-IgG antibody), IgA (anti-CD138-IgA antibody) using immunohistochemistry, and both IL-10 and interferon-gamma (ELISA) were quantified in tumor and non-tumor specimens (thoracotomy for lung tumor resection) from 33 LC-COPD patients and 20 LC-only patients. Results: Immune profile in tumor versus non-tumor specimens: Treg cell counts significantly increased in tumors of both LC and LC-COPD patients, while in tumors of the latter group, IgG-secreting plasma cells significantly decreased and IL-10 increased. No significant differences were seen in levels of NK cells, IgA-secreting cells, IgA/IgG, or interferon-gamma. Immune profile in tumors of LC-COPD versus LC: No significant differences were observed in tumors between LC-COPD and LC patients for any study marker. Conclusions: Immune cell subtypes and cytokines are differentially expressed in lung tumors, and the presence of COPD elicited a decline in IgG-secreting plasma cell levels but not in other cell types.