Vol 49, No 1 (2011)
Original paper
Submitted: 2011-12-19
Published online: 2011-04-19
CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cell numbers in peripheral blood are correlated with higher tumor burden in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Iwona Hus, Elżbieta Starosławska, Agnieszka Bojarska-Junak, Aneta Dobrzyńska-Rutkowska, Agata Surdacka, Paulina Wdowiak, Magdalena Wasiak, Maria Kusz, Anna Twardosz, Anna Dmoszyńska, Jacek Roliński
DOI: 10.5603/FHC.2011.0025
·
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(1):183-187.
Vol 49, No 1 (2011)
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Submitted: 2011-12-19
Published online: 2011-04-19
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the commonest histological type of malignant lymphoma, and
remains incurable in many cases. Developing more efficient immunotherapy strategies will require better
understanding of the disorders of immune responses in cancer patients. NKT (natural killer-like T) cells were
originally described as a unique population of T cells with the co-expression of NK cell markers. Apart from
their role in protecting against microbial pathogens and controlling autoimmune diseases, NKT cells have
been recently revealed as one of the key players in the immune responses against tumors. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the frequency of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in the peripheral blood of 28 diffuse large
B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients in correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters. Median percentages
of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ were significantly lower in patients with DLBCL compared to healthy donors
(7.37% vs. 9.01%, p = 0.01; 4.60% vs. 5.81%, p = 0.03), although there were no differences in absolute counts.
The frequency and the absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were lower in advanced clinical stages
than in earlier ones. The median percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in patients in Ann Arbor stages 1–2 was
5.55% vs. 3.15% in stages 3–4 (p = 0.02), with median absolute counts respectively 0.26 G/L vs. 0.41 G/L (p =
= 0.02). The percentage and absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were significantly higher in DL
-BCL patients without B-symptoms compared to the patients with B-symptoms, (5.51% vs. 2.46%, p = 0.04;
0.21 G/L vs. 0.44 G/L, p = 0.04). The percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells correlated adversely with serum
lactate dehydrogenase (R= –445; p < 0.05) which might influence NKT count. These figures suggest a relationship
between higher tumor burden and more aggressive disease and decreased NKT numbers. But it remains to
be explained whether low NKT cell counts in the peripheral blood of patients with DLBCL are the result of their
suppression by the tumor cells, or their migration to affected lymph nodes or organs. (Folia Histochemica et
Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 183–187)
Abstract
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the commonest histological type of malignant lymphoma, and
remains incurable in many cases. Developing more efficient immunotherapy strategies will require better
understanding of the disorders of immune responses in cancer patients. NKT (natural killer-like T) cells were
originally described as a unique population of T cells with the co-expression of NK cell markers. Apart from
their role in protecting against microbial pathogens and controlling autoimmune diseases, NKT cells have
been recently revealed as one of the key players in the immune responses against tumors. The objective of this
study was to evaluate the frequency of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in the peripheral blood of 28 diffuse large
B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients in correlation with clinical and laboratory parameters. Median percentages
of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ were significantly lower in patients with DLBCL compared to healthy donors
(7.37% vs. 9.01%, p = 0.01; 4.60% vs. 5.81%, p = 0.03), although there were no differences in absolute counts.
The frequency and the absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were lower in advanced clinical stages
than in earlier ones. The median percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells in patients in Ann Arbor stages 1–2 was
5.55% vs. 3.15% in stages 3–4 (p = 0.02), with median absolute counts respectively 0.26 G/L vs. 0.41 G/L (p =
= 0.02). The percentage and absolute numbers of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells were significantly higher in DL
-BCL patients without B-symptoms compared to the patients with B-symptoms, (5.51% vs. 2.46%, p = 0.04;
0.21 G/L vs. 0.44 G/L, p = 0.04). The percentage of CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells correlated adversely with serum
lactate dehydrogenase (R= –445; p < 0.05) which might influence NKT count. These figures suggest a relationship
between higher tumor burden and more aggressive disease and decreased NKT numbers. But it remains to
be explained whether low NKT cell counts in the peripheral blood of patients with DLBCL are the result of their
suppression by the tumor cells, or their migration to affected lymph nodes or organs. (Folia Histochemica et
Cytobiologica 2011; Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 183–187)
Keywords
diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; anti-tumor immunity; CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells
Title
CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cell numbers in peripheral blood are correlated with higher tumor burden in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Journal
Folia Histochemica et Cytobiologica
Issue
Vol 49, No 1 (2011)
Article type
Original paper
Pages
183-187
Published online
2011-04-19
Page views
3078
Article views/downloads
2524
DOI
10.5603/FHC.2011.0025
Bibliographic record
Folia Histochem Cytobiol 2011;49(1):183-187.
Keywords
diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
anti-tumor immunity
CD3+/CD16+CD56+ cells
Authors
Iwona Hus
Elżbieta Starosławska
Agnieszka Bojarska-Junak
Aneta Dobrzyńska-Rutkowska
Agata Surdacka
Paulina Wdowiak
Magdalena Wasiak
Maria Kusz
Anna Twardosz
Anna Dmoszyńska
Jacek Roliński
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