T lymphocytes, CD68-positive cells and vascularisation in thyroid carcinomas

Immunohistochemical detection and quantification of CD3- and CD45RO-positive lymphocytes and CD68-positive cells in 75 thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin revealed rising levels for these parameters associated with dedifferentiation. A parallel trend towards reduction of vascularisation, determined as CD31-positive blood vessels, with decreasing differentiation became evident, statistically only significant when well-differentiated follicular and anaplastic carcinomas were compared. Positive correlations could be demonstrated between the density of CD68-, CD3-, and CD45RO-positive cells as well as between the density of CD68-, and CD3-, and CD45RO-positive cells and vascularisation. These correlations were expected, as the interaction of CD68-positive cells and T lymphocytes results in the production of angiogenesis factors, ultimately leading to better vascularisation of the tumour. Nevertheless, the tumour cells themselves are variously capable of producing angiogenic substances. The obvious lack of positive correlation between the density of tumour-infiltrating cells determined in this study and vascularisation, despite reduced vascularisation in less differentiated tumours that contained increasing numbers of tumour-infiltrating cells, seems to be due to functional heterogeneity of morphologically similar tumours.