Effector Memory T Cells and CD45RO+ Regulatory T Cells in Metastatic vs. Non-Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Lung Cancer Patients

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology 2022-05, Vol.13, p.864497-864497
• Main Authors: Kwiecień, Iwona, Rutkowska, Elżbieta, Sokołowski, Rafał, Bednarek, Joanna, Raniszewska, Agata, Jahnz-Różyk, Karina, Rzepecki, Piotr, Domagała-Kulawik, Joanna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CD4+ cells; CD8+ cells; EBUS-TBNA; Humans; Immunology; Leukocyte Common Antigens; Lung Neoplasms; Lymph Nodes; Memory T Cells; recent thymic emigrants cells; regulatory T cells; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - pathology
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.864497

Lymphocytes play a leading role in regulation of the immune system in lung cancer patients. The recognition of T cells profile may help in prediction of effectiveness of anticancer immunotherapy. The aim of the study was to determine the dominant subpopulation of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) of lung cancer patients. LNs aspirates were obtained during EBUS/TBNA procedure and cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. We showed a higher percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ effector memory T cells in the metastatic than in the non-metastatic LNs (28.6 vs. 15.3% and 28.6 vs. 14.0%, p< 0.05). The proportion of CD45RO+ T regulatory cells (CD45RO+ Tregs) was higher in the metastatic LNs than in the non-metastatic ones (65.6 vs. 31%, p< 0.05). We reported the significant differences in T cell subsets depending on the lung cancer metastatic process. We observed that the effector memory T cells were predominant subpopulations in metastatic LNs. Lymphocyte profile in LNs is easy to evaluate by flow cytometry of EBUS/TBNA samples and may reflect the immune status in lung cancer.