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Preparation of Tumor Antigen-loaded Mature Dendritic Cells for Immunotherapy
Published on: August 1, 2013
[Infiltration of dendritic cells into cervical lymph nodes in laryngeal carcinoma]
1Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Third Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150040, China. zjw62@263.net
Insights
Dendritic cells (DC) are crucial for anti-tumor immunity. Higher DC infiltration in lymph nodes correlates with better prognosis in laryngeal cancer patients, indicating their role in immune defense.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Pathology
Context:
- Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells vital for initiating immune responses.
- Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is a significant health concern requiring effective immune surveillance strategies.
Purpose:
- To investigate the role and prognostic significance of dendritic cells (DCs) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.
- To evaluate the density of DCs in cervical lymph nodes and their correlation with lymph node metastasis and patient survival.
Summary:
- An immunohistochemical study analyzed S-100 protein expression in 157 lymph nodes from 47 laryngeal cancer patients.
- Higher DC infiltration was observed in lymph nodes without metastasis compared to those with metastasis (P < 0.001).
- Increased DC density in lymph nodes significantly correlated with longer patient survival (P < 0.001).
Impact:
- Dendritic cells play a critical role in the host immune response against laryngeal tumors.
- DC density in cervical lymph nodes serves as a valuable prognostic indicator for laryngeal carcinoma.
- Understanding DC infiltration can inform the development of immunotherapeutic strategies for head and neck cancers.
Objective:
Dendritic cells(DC) form a system of highly efficient antigen-presenting cells. An immunohistochemical study was performed to prove their role in immune responses against cancer.
Methods:
Paraffin blocks were prepared for staining with antibody against S-100 proteins in 157 lymph nodes obtained from elective cervical lymphadenectomy in 47 cases of laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas.
Results:
The extent of infiltration by DC into the regional lymph nodes was evaluated in two groups according to negative and positive lymph node metastasis. Densities of DC ranged from 23.0 to 111.9, with an average of 57.2 +/- 16.0, in the negative metastasis nodes; and from 17.5 to 63.6, with an average of 38.3 +/- 14.9, in the positive metastasis nodes. The test revealed that the differences in population density between the two groups were significant (P < 0.001). Quantitative analysis showed that patients who survived longer than 5 years had significant higher numbers of DC in the lymph nodes than those who lived less than 5 years (P < 0.001). Densities of DC ranged from 32.0 to 111.9, with an average of 61.6 +/- 19.6, in the nodes of 20 cases of patients who survived longer than 5 years and from 17.5 to 65.8, with an average of 37.9 +/- 13.7, in the nodes of 27 cases of patients who survived less than 5 years.
Conclusion:
DC may be more directly involved in the host immune reaction against tumor by means of the most important antigen-presenting cells. DC in the cervical lymph nodes are important for establishing immunologic defense mechanisms in cases of laryngeal carcinomas, and the densities of DC can serve as a useful indicator in assessing prognosis of laryngeal carcinomas.
