Reduction in Proportion of Senescent CD8+ T Lymphocytes During Chemotherapy of Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

• Published in: Anticancer research 2016-11, Vol.36 (11), p.6195-6200
• Main Authors: Rutkauskaitė, Vilma, Ragelienė, Lina, Matuzevičienė, Rėda, Sinkevič, Katažina, Mauricas, Mykolas, Characiejus, Dainius
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Antigens, CD - immunology; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Immunophenotyping; Infant; Male; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - drug therapy; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma - immunology
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530
• DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.11213

To evaluate quantitative changes in B, NK and T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) undergoing chemotherapy. Children with ALL were treated according to NOPHO ALL 2008 protocol. Levels of B lymphocytes (CD19 ), NK cells (CD3 CD56 ) and subsets of T lymphocytes (CD3 CD4 , CD4 CD25 Foxp3 , CD3 CD8 , CD3 CD8 CD57 , CD3 CD8 CD57 ) in peripheral blood were analyzed by flow cytometry prior and during treatment with cytotoxic drugs. Immunological analyses were performed in 25 children with ALL. Levels of B and NK lymphocytes decreased continuously during chemotherapy. In contrast, levels of most T lymphocyte subsets decreased only transiently and returned to pretreatment levels by days 78 to 85. The only T lymphocyte subset that did not return to the pretreatment level contained senescent CD3 CD8 CD57 lymphocytes. Immunomodulating action of chemotherapy in children with ALL results in reduction of proportion of senescent CD8 T lymphocytes.