Shao Chunyan, Zhu Chenwen, Zhu Yun, Hao Jiqing, Li Yongxiang, Hu Huaqing, Si Li, Zhong Fei, Wang Xuefu, Wang Hua
Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
Department of Oncology, Fuyang Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Fuyang, 236000, China.
Cell Biosci. 2021 Jan 9;11(1):12. doi: 10.1186/s13578-020-00518-9.
Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are an invariant T cell subset, which have been reported to play an antimicrobial role in infectious diseases. However, little is known about it in malignant diseases and tumors, especially in gastric cancer (GC). So in this study, we aim to examine the frequency, phenotype, partial functional capacity and clinical relevance of this cells from GC patients' peripheral blood by flow cytometry. It was shown that the frequency of peripheral blood MAIT cells was negatively correlated with their increasing age in healthy adults. Importantly, comparing to the healthy controls (HC), the frequency and the absolute number of MAIT cells from GC patients' peripheral blood with or without chemotherapy were both significantly lower than those. For the phenotype, the proportion of CD4MAIT cell subset in GC patients without chemotherapy was lower than in HC, but higher than in GC patients with chemotherapy. Whereas, the proportion of CD4CD8MAIT cell subset in GC patients without chemotherapy was significantly lower than that in HC. Finally, the level of Granzyme-B (GrB), a molecule associated with MAIT cells was markedly lower in GC patients. But the correlation between the serum levels of GC-associated tumor antigens and the percentages of MAIT cells in GC patients was not observed. In conclusion, our study shows the decreased frequency, changed phenotypes and partial potentially impaired function of MAIT cells in GC patients, suggesting a possible MAIT cell-based immunological surveillance of GC.
黏膜相关恒定T（MAIT）细胞是一种恒定T细胞亚群，据报道在传染病中发挥抗菌作用。然而，关于其在恶性疾病和肿瘤中的情况，尤其是在胃癌（GC）中的情况，人们了解甚少。因此，在本研究中，我们旨在通过流式细胞术检测GC患者外周血中这种细胞的频率、表型、部分功能能力及临床相关性。结果显示，在健康成年人中，外周血MAIT细胞的频率与其年龄增长呈负相关。重要的是，与健康对照（HC）相比，接受或未接受化疗的GC患者外周血中MAIT细胞的频率和绝对数量均显著低于HC。就表型而言，未接受化疗的GC患者中CD4MAIT细胞亚群的比例低于HC，但高于接受化疗的GC患者。然而，未接受化疗的GC患者中CD4CD8MAIT细胞亚群的比例显著低于HC。最后，与MAIT细胞相关的分子颗粒酶B（GrB）在GC患者中的水平明显较低。但未观察到GC相关肿瘤抗原的血清水平与GC患者中MAIT细胞百分比之间的相关性。总之，我们的研究表明GC患者中MAIT细胞的频率降低、表型改变且部分潜在功能受损，提示可能存在基于MAIT细胞的GC免疫监视。
