PBLs of Early Breast Carcinoma Patients with a High Nuclear Grade Tumor Unlike PBLs of Cervical Carcinoma Patients Do Not Show a Decreased TCRξ Expression but Are Functionally Impaired

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Abstract
Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), cervical carcinoma, or early breast carcinoma were tested for the expression of T cell receptor ξ chain (TCRξ) and CD16ξ chain and production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) and interleukin (IL) 10. We found that in all patients with CIN and invasive cervical carcinoma, PBLs showed a reduced TCRξ and CD16ξ expression and a significant down-regulation in IFNγ production (a T helper 1 cytokine) after anti-CD3 stimulation. However, the IL 10 secretion (a T helper 2 cytokine) was not diminished after anti-CD3 stimulation. This indicates that only T helper 1 cells are affected by the down-regulation of the TCR ξ chain expression. We also analyzed PBLs of 12 patients with early breast carcinoma. In these patients, we found TCRξ and CD16ξ expression down-regulation in 2 of 12 patients. Six of 12 patients had an enhanced TCRξ expression. The enhanced TCRξ expression correlated with a reduced IFNγ expression after anti-CD3 stimulation. These data show that in general PBLs of early breast carcinoma patients, unlike those of cervical carcinoma patients, do not show a decreased TCRξ expression. However, a functional impairment of T cells was observed in the subgroup of early breast carcinoma patients with a high nuclear grade of their tumor.

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