Impact of Regulatory T Cells in Oropharyngeal Cancer

Abstract

Objective: Oropharyngeal cancer is the most frequent type of malignancy in the head and neck area. Regulatory T cells (Treg, CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) and Th17 cells were described as critical factors for regulation or inhibition of effective anti-cancer immune response and, consequently, prognosis and survival. Method: We examined Treg and Th17 from periphery blood and tumor samples of patients with oropharyngeal cancer before the start of anti-tumor therapy. We particularly focused on lymphocytes subpopulations (CD3+, CD3-CD16+CD56+, CD4+, CD8+, CD19+, CD4+CD45RA+, CD3+CD4+CD25+, CD161+CD4+ a CD161+CD8+) and tumor markers (SCC, CEA, AAT, Cyfra 21-1). Results: In comparison with control group (nononcologic surgery), the Treg population in the peripheral blood of the patients with oropharyngeal cancer was 1.6-fold higher. Infiltration of Treg in specimens from primary tumors and metastatic neck lymph nodes was higher (8.7% and 9.6%) in comparison with oropharyngeal tissue and neck lymph nodes without tumor or metastatic extension (3.12% and 3.3%, both p+CD161+cells and 12.8% CD8+CD161+ cells, and in tumor tissue, 1.66% CD4+CD161+ cells and 3.9% CD8+CD161+ cells. Level of tumor marker CEA correlated with higher T stadium (T3+4, t-test, P < .005). Conclusion: We can conclude that regulatory T cells and Th17 generally represent a highly important factor in the progression of many types of malignancies and our data indicated their particular importance for oropharyngeal cancer.