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Function and subsets of dendritic cells and natural killer cells were decreased in gastric cancer

Jianping Chen1, Jing Yang1, Jingting Jiang2

  • 1Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, The First People's Hospital of Changzhou Changzhou, Jiangsu, China.

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology
|January 1, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Immune cells, dendritic cells (DCs) and natural killer (NK) cells, show reduced cytotoxic activity and lower levels of key subsets and cytokines in gastric cancer patients. This impairment in immune cell function may contribute to disease progression.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Dendritic cells (DCs) and natural killer (NK) cells are crucial for initiating anti-tumor immune responses.
  • Gastric cancer is a significant global health concern, necessitating a deeper understanding of immune system involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cytotoxicity, cellular subsets, and cytokine profiles of DCs and NK cells in gastric cancer patients.
  • To compare these immune parameters in both tumor tissue and peripheral blood.

Main Methods:

  • Cytotoxicity was assessed using a non-radioactive Cytotox assay.
  • Flow cytometry was employed to analyze DC and NK cell subsets (e.g., CD11c, CD80, CD83, CD16, CD57, CD69, CD86, CCR7, CD59).
  • Cytokine levels (e.g., TNF-α, IL-2, T-bet, IL-15Rβ, IL-15, IL-15Rα) were measured in DC and NK cells.

Main Results:

  • Cytotoxic activity of both DCs and NK cells was significantly attenuated in gastric cancer patients compared to controls.
  • Key immune cell markers (CD11c, CD80, CD83, CD16, CD57, CD69) were decreased in tumor tissue and peripheral blood.
  • Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors (TNF-α, IL-2, T-bet, IL-15Rβ) were also reduced, while others showed no significant change.

Conclusions:

  • Gastric cancer is associated with a demonstrable decrease in the cytotoxic activity, subset populations, and cytokine production of DCs and NK cells.
  • The observed reduction in DC and NK cell function may play a role in immune evasion and progression of gastric cancer.
Keywords:
Dendritic cellcytokinecytotoxicitynatural killer cell

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