Tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells may be used as clinicopathologic prognostic factors in endometrial carcinoma

To investigate the distribution of dendritic cells (DCs) at different development status in endometrial carcinoma and their relationship with clinical pathology.

Samples were collected from 95 patients with endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma treated in Peking University People's Hospital from 2002 to 2010. Normal endometrial tissue was obtained from 40 women and served as controls. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of S100-, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR-, and CD1a-positive DCs within the tumor glandular epithelium, the surrounding tumor interstitial tissue, and the equivalent normal endometrial tissue. The relationship of these DCs with clinical stage, pathology grade, myometrial invasion, and lymph node metastasis was analyzed.

The rate of S100-positive DCs in the endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma glandular epithelium samples from the 95 patients was 48.4% (46/95), and that of the HLA-DR-positive DCs was 27.4% (26/95), which were both significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that in the control group. CD1a-positive DC was rarely expressed in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma glandular epithelium. The rates of the S100- and HLA-DR-positive DCs in tumor interstitial tissue were similar to that of the control group (both, P > 0.05). The proportion of invasion of the S100- and HLA-DR-positive DCs was negatively correlated with the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis but was not correlated with the pathological grade and myometrial invasion.

Dendritic cell invasion was detected in endometrial endometrioid adenocarcinoma. S100- and HLA-DR-positive DCs may have functions related to the delay of tumor progression and lymph node metastasis.