[Expression of CD1a, CD80, CD86 in dendritic cell of tumor tissue and regional lymph node in esophageal carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Dendritic cells are the important antigen presenting cell, and take part in the anti-tumor immunoreaction. This study was designed to investigate the expression of CD1a (specific marker) and CD80, CD86 (costimulating molecules) in dendritic cell of tumor tissue and regional lymph node of esophageal carcinoma and to investigate the mechanisms by which tumors escape immune recognition.

METHODS

The expression of CD1a, CD80, CD86 in dendritic cells of tumor tissues and paratumor tissues from 58 patients with esophageal carcinoma (clinical period I-II:27 cases,III-IV: 31 cases;differentiation G(1-2): 37 cases,G3:21 cases;squamous cancer: 49 cases,adenoid cancer: 9 cases;lymph node metastases present: 37 cases,lymph node metastases absent: 21 cases), inflammatory tissues from 11 patients with esophagitis, 12 normal esophageal tissues (as control), 31 regional lymph nodes with tumor and 34 regional lymph nodes without tumor were determined using flow cytometry.

RESULTS

(1) The expression rates of CD1a, CD80, CD86 in tumor tissues (6.18+/-1.47, 5.37+/-1.13, 37.35+/-7.42) were less than those in normal tissues (10.28+/-2.11, 9.67+/-1.94, 48.76+/-10.23), the inflammatory tissues (11.89+/-2.65, 10.46+/-1.79, 51.55+/-10.60), and the paratumor tissue (11.79+/-2.41, 10.49+/-1.89, 9.78+/-12.31) (P< 0.01). (2) The expression rates of CD1a, CD80, CD86 in regional lymph node with tumor (8.34+/-1.66,6.78+/-1.42,41.70+/-8.71) were less than those in the lymph node without tumor (12.23+/-2.14, 10.82+/-2.11, 59.63+/-12.52)(P< 0.01). (3) There was no significant difference in the expression rates of CD1a, CD80, CD86 between paratumor tissue, inflammatory tissue and normal esophageal tissues (P >0.05). (4) The expression of CD1a, CD80, CD86 were not associated with the clinical period, pathological type, and the lymph node metastases (P >0.05); but were associated with pathological differentiation (grade1-2 were higher than grade 3)(P< 0.01).

CONCLUSION

(1) The number of dendritic cell of CD1a (+) decreases in tumor tissue and regional lymph node with tumor in esophageal carcinoma and the expression of CD80, CD86 are down-regulated. (2) The lower the tumor differentiation grade, the less the number of CD1a(+) dendritic cell in tumor tissue and regional lymph node and the lower the expression of CD80, CD86 in tumor tissue.