LYMPHOCYTE SUBPOPULATIONS IN GASTRIC AND COLORECTAL CANCER PATIENTS AFTER IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH ACTIVATED LYMPHOCYTES

Abstract

Phenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocytes and immune activation markers of activation (HLADR, CD38, CD69, CD314, CD25) was performed in thirteen patients with disseminated forms of stomach and rectal cancer before cell treatment, and following adoptive immunotherapy with activated lymphocytes. It wasshown that the lymphocytes are well activated and are able to proliferate in vitro. It was revealed that the relative content of Tregs and NK cells is increased in these patients. After the courses of immunotherapy, initially low levels of B-cells (average 5%) remained in all the patients, whereas concentration of Тregs didn’t change. Increased expression of activation markers was revealed for all lymphocyte subsets (CD25, CD314, CD38, HLA-DR) and, especially, for T-lymphocytes (CD3+HLA-DR, CD3+CD38+). Significant decrease of T helpers, activated NK-cells (CD16+CD314+) and CD4+/CD8+ was noted in peripheral blood. A non-significant elevation in mature lymphocytes (CD45RO+) and reduced content of young lymphocytes (CD45RA+) were revealed. Adoptive immunotherapy is safe and well tolerated, being characterized by lack of side effects, and it may be recommended as a complement to conventional radio- and chemotherapy.

Keywords

• adoptive immunotherapy
• activated lymphocytes
• gastric and colorectal cancer
• lymphocyte phenotype
• peripheral blood