BMC Cancer (Jun 2010)

Immunophenotypic features of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes from mammary carcinomas in female dogs associated with prognostic factors and survival rates

  • Serakides Rogéria,
  • Martins-Filho Olindo A,
  • Barrouin-Melo Stella M,
  • Cardoso Sergio V,
  • Teixeira-Carvalho Andréa,
  • Costa-Neto João M,
  • Araújo Márcio SS,
  • Estrela-Lima Alessandra,
  • Cassali Geovanni D

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-10-256
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 1
p. 256

Abstract

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Abstract Background The immune system plays an important role in the multifactorial biologic system during the development of neoplasias. However, the involvement of the inflammatory response in the promotion/control of malignant cells is still controversial, and the cell subsets and the mechanisms involved are poorly investigated. The goal of this study was to characterize the clinical-pathological status and the immunophenotyping profile of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and their association with the animal survival rates in canine mammary carcinomas. Methods Fifty-one animals with mammary carcinomas, classified as carcinomas in mixed tumors-MC-BMT = 31 and carcinomas-MC = 20 were submitted to systematic clinical-pathological analysis (tumor size; presence of lymph node and pulmonary metastasis; clinical stage; histological grade; inflammatory distribution and intensity as well as the lymphocytic infiltrate intensity) and survival rates. Twenty-four animals (MC-BMT = 16 and MC = 8) were elected to the immunophenotypic study performed by flow cytometry. Results Data analysis demonstrated that clinical stage II-IV and histological grade was I more frequent in MC-BMT as compared to MC. Univariate analysis demonstrated that the intensity of inflammation (moderate/intense) and the proportion of CD4+ (≥ 66.7%) or CD8+ T-cells (P = 0.02) remained as independent prognostic factor. Despite the clinical manifestation, the lymphocytes represented the predominant cell type in the tumor infiltrate. The percentage of T-cells was higher in animals with MC-BMT without metastasis, while the percentage of B-lymphocytes was greater in animals with metastasized MC-BMT (P + T-cells was significantly greater in metastasized tumors (both MC-BMT and MC), (P + T-cells was higher in MC-BMT without metastasis. Consequently, the CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly increased in both groups with metastasis. Regardless of the tumor type, the animals with high proportions of CD4+ and low CD8+ T-cells had decreased survival rates. Conclusion The intensity of lymphocytic infiltrate and probably the relative abundance of the CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes may represent important survival prognostic biomarkers for canine mammary carcinomas.