Expression of IL-10 and IL-10 receptors on peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) can mediate anti-tumor activity or tumor escape from the immune system. Here, we investigate IL-10 and IL-10recepter (IL-10R) expression in/on immune cells of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and healthy volunteers as normal controls (NC) to further evaluate the dual role IL-10 might play in this disease.

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 15 HNSCC patients and 15 NC were stained and used for flow cytometry or stimulated first with OKT3/anti-CD28 Abs in the presence of IL-2 or with lipopolysaccharide and then stained for flow cytometry. The percentages of IL-10+ or IL-10R+ lymphocytes and monocytes and their mean fluorescence intensity were determined.

RESULTS

Monocytes had the highest frequency of IL-10+ and IL-10R+ cells before or after stimulation and the highest expression levels of these markers followed by CD8+ and then CD4+ T lymphocytes. No significant differences in the frequency or expression levels of IL-10 or IL-10R were observed between patients with HNSCC and NC.

CONCLUSIONS

Monocytes in the circulation of patients and NC are the main subset of IL-10- and IL-10R-expressing cells. The frequency of IL-10+ and IL-10R+ monocytes in patients with HNSCC is comparable to that in NC.