Mononuclear cells in normal colon and colonic carcinoma express the same T cell activation markers

The proportion of mononuclear cells (MC) expressing some of the T cell activation markers in normal colon and colonic carcinomas was determined by immunoperoxidase staining and computer-assisted video image analysis (VIA). Tissue sections were stained with monoclonal antibodies against the T cell activation markers which included the MHC class II antigens DR, DP and DQ, interleukin 2 receptor (CD25) and the p180 (CD45RO) form of the leucocyte common antigen. The mean values for the proportion of leucocytes expressing these activation markers were 92% for DR, 61% for DP, 68% for DQ and 60% for CD45RO in tumours and 90, 62, 70 and 55% in normal tissue respectively. Few cells were stained for the IL2 receptor (mean values 7% for tumours and 5% for normal tissue) or the p220 form (CD45RA) of the leucocyte common antigen (mean values 6% for tumours and 4% for normal tissue). The proportion of MC bearing any of these markers in the normal colon was not significantly different from the matched colonic carcinomas.