Zhan Hai-Lun, Gao Xin, Zhou Xiang-Fu, Pu Xiao-Yong, Wang De-Juan
Department of Urology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2012;13(3):867-72. doi: 10.7314/apjcp.2012.13.3.867.
FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit effector T cell functions and are implicated in tumour progression. However, together with microvessel density (MVD) they remain controversial prognostic predictors for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and potential associations have yet to be determined. The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of Tregs and MVD and their potential relationship in RCCs.
Paraffin-embedded tissues from 62 RCC patients were analysed using immunohistochemistry to detect FOXP3+ lymphocytes, and double immunohistochemistry to detect different microvessel types in the tumour interior, rim and normal kidney tissue, and their correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. Survival analysis was also performed.
The presence of FOXP3+ cells in the tumour interior or the rim showed no correlation with death from RCC and other pathological characteristics. Negative correlations were noted between the immature MVD in the tumour interior or the rim and tumour size, tumour stage and overall survival; however, there was no correlation with the nuclear grade or pathological type. A positive correlation between FOXP3+ Tregs and immature MVD (r=0.363, P=0.014) and mature MVD (r=0.383, P=0.009) was confirmed in the tumour interior. However, there was no correlation between FOXP3+ Tregs and mature MVD (r=0.281, P=0.076) or immature MVD (r=0.064, P=0.692) in the tumour rim.
In this study, a positive correlation between the presence of FOXP3+ Tregs and immature and mature MVD in RCC was confirmed, which suggests a link between suppression of immunity, tumour angiogenesis and poor prognosis.
FOXP3 + 调节性T细胞（Tregs）可抑制效应T细胞功能，并与肿瘤进展有关。然而，与微血管密度（MVD）一起，它们仍是肾细胞癌（RCC）存在争议的预后预测指标，其潜在关联尚未确定。本研究的目的是确定Tregs和MVD在RCC中的预后意义及其潜在关系。
采用免疫组织化学方法分析62例RCC患者石蜡包埋组织，以检测FOXP3 + 淋巴细胞，并采用双重免疫组织化学方法检测肿瘤内部、边缘和正常肾组织中的不同微血管类型，以及它们与临床病理特征的相关性。还进行了生存分析。
肿瘤内部或边缘FOXP3 + 细胞的存在与RCC死亡及其他病理特征无关。肿瘤内部或边缘的未成熟MVD与肿瘤大小、肿瘤分期和总生存期呈负相关；然而，与核分级或病理类型无关。在肿瘤内部证实FOXP3 + Tregs与未成熟MVD（r = 0.363，P = 0.014）和成熟MVD（r = 0.383，P = 0.009）呈正相关。然而，肿瘤边缘的FOXP3 + Tregs与成熟MVD（r = 0.281，P = 0.076）或未成熟MVD（r = 0.064，P = 0.692）之间无相关性。
本研究证实RCC中FOXP3 + Tregs的存在与未成熟和成熟MVD呈正相关，这表明免疫抑制、肿瘤血管生成与预后不良之间存在联系。
