FOXP3+ lymphocyte density in pancreatic cancer correlates with lymph node metastasis.

Yongjian Jiang,Zunguo Du,Zhongwen Zhou,Deliang Fu,Yang Di,Venu G Pillarisetty,Feng Yang,Ji Li,Valli De Re

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0106741

Yongjian Jiang, Zunguo Du + Show 7 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106741

Copy DOI

Abstract

ObjectiveTo determine if the density of FOXP3+ lymphocytes in primary tumors and lymph nodes in pancreatic cancer correlates with the presence of lymph node metastases.MethodsFOXP3+ lymphocyte density in primary pancreatic cancer tissue and draining lymph nodes was measured using immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the clinical and pathological aspects associated with the accumulation of FOXP3+ lymphocytes in pancreatic cancer. We also analyzed the correlation of density of FOXP3+ lymphocytes in lymph nodes with the nodal status and distance from the primary tumor.ResultsFOXP3+ lymphocyte density in pancreatic cancer was significantly higher than in paratumoral pancreatic tissue. The density of FOXP3+ lymphocytes in local tumor tissue correlated significantly with the histological grade and overall lymph node status. Furthermore, FOXP3+ lymphocyte density was significantly higher in positive lymph nodes than in negative ones, while it had no correlation with the distance of the lymph node from the primary tumor.ConclusionFOXP3+ lymphocyte density in primary tumor tissue in patients with pancreatic cancer correlates with lymph node metastasis. Lymph nodes containing metastases having higher FOXP3+ lymphocyte densities than do negative lymph nodes.

Highlights

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, commonly known as pancreatic cancer, is amongst the most aggressive of human malignancies
Immunohistochemistry We reviewed the hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections of pancreatic tumor and paratumoral tissues, and sampled lymph nodes, from patients with histologically confirmed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
In addition to primary tumors, we analyzed a total of 157 lymph nodes, with 70 lymph nodes from N1, 46 lymph nodes from N2, and 41 lymph nodes from N3

Summary

Introduction

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, commonly known as pancreatic cancer, is amongst the most aggressive of human malignancies. Much of the traditional focus of cancer research has involved studying the genotypic and phenotypic changes that underlie cancer development, progression, and metastasis. In contrast to these cell-autonomous aspects of solid tumors, current studies are shedding light on other critical elements of the tumor microenvironment [2]. Based upon such studies, it is becoming clear that immune cells and their associated cytokines are important components of the tumor microenvironment of pancreatic cancer [3]. It was reported that Treg increased in the peripheral blood, tumor microenvironment and ascites in variety of malignancies and appear to interfere with multiple aspects of anti-tumor immunity [4,5,6,7]

Methods

Results

Conclusion