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Changes of systemic immune cells subtypes in colorectal carcinoma patients
Khin Aye Thin1, Andrew Cross2, Phonthep Angsuwatcharakon3
1Joint PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnology between Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand and Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, United Kingdom.
Background:
Colorectal cancer (CRC) can induce stresses on the immune system that can affect both the numbers and function of immune cells. Changes in immune cell functions can also occur during ageing and these may affect both the ability to fight infections and to protect against cancers. As the incidence of CRC is age-related, the aim of this work was to identify changes in immune cell subtypes that are specific to CRC and not merely due to age-related changes.
Methods:
Whole blood samples from 49 CRC patients about to undergo surgery and 22 healthy controls were collected. Samples were analysed by immunophenotyping, detection of HLA-DR on T-lymphocytes and monocytes, and senescent-like T-lymphocytes.
Results:
CD4 staining intensity of monocytes was significantly increased in CRC patients and showed a positive correlation with their HLA-DR staining intensity. In most CRC patients, the numbers of helper T-lymphocytes were lower with the progression of the disease, while cytotoxic T-lymphocytes were higher (an opposite pattern to the immunophenotypes of the healthy ageing cohort). NKbright cells were higher while NKdim cells were lower in patients with large tumours. An increase in the T-lymphocytes to B-lymphocytes ratio correlated with the metastatic status.
Conclusions:
Complex changes in the immune phenotypes in CRC, distinct from those that occur during ageing were observed, that imply development of an immuno-suppressive phenotype that may aid tumour evasion of immunity.