Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) belong to cell population of crucial role in escape cancer from immunosurveillance. The presence of Tregs in tumor environment (TME) has been confirmed as poor prognostic factor in lung cancer. Tregs are heterogenous population *. The aim of this study was determination Tregs functional subtypes in TME.
Tregs were harvested by EBUS/TBNA from mediastinal lymph nodes (LNs) during lung cancer diagnosis. Flow cytometry with antibodies anti: CD4, CD25, CD127 and CD45RO was a research tool.
We divided Tregs population accordingly to expression of CD45RO. We compared proportion of Tregs in LNs with confirmed metastases with those without cancer cells. Proportion of Tregs didn’t differ between both groups. Proportion of CD45RO+ (effector) Tregs were significantly higher in metastatic vs nonmetastatic LNs (65.5 vs 31.0% of Tregs) and was higher in LNs of patients with advanced disease (IIIB-IV) when compared with stage I-IIIA (66,6 vs 42,2%). The proportion of these cells was high in the blood but didn’t differ between patients with metastases to LNs and without (median value 80% of all Tregs). There was significant positive correlation between proportion of CD45RO+Tregs and CD8 cells in metastatic LNs but negative correlation with effector CD4 cells.
Our results indicate compartmentalization of effector memory Tregs in human body and dependence of tumor spread. We confirmed once again that analysis of EBUS/TBNA by flow cytometry is useful for assessment of TME in lung cancer.
* Sakaguchi, S.; Miyara, M.; Costantino, C.M.; Hafler, D.A. Nature reviews. Immunology 2010, 10, 490-500
Footnotes
Cite this article as Eur Respir J 2022; 60: Suppl. 66, 694.
This article was presented at the 2022 ERS International Congress, in session “-”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2022
