Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Evidence for immune defects in breast and lung cancer patients

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Immunosuppression is often identified in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate several immune parameters for patients with breast and lung cancer. Immunophenotyping analysis showed that the cancer patients investigated had significantly lower absolute numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes than controls. The immunosuppression was more evident for the breast cancer subgroup. The most severe immune defect noticed was the marked impairment of IFN-γ secretion. A shift toward the Th2 phenotype as revealed by assessment of intracellular level of IFN-γ and IL-4 was also noticed. The secretion of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α in whole blood cultures was not impaired. Although the proportion of activated cells was slightly lower than in the control group, our results showed that both peripheral T lymphocytes and NK cells of cancer patients could be induced to express early activation marker CD69 after ex vivo mitogen stimulation. In conclusion, our study revealed several immune defects in cancer patients. This suggests that an appropriate immunotherapeutical approach might be used to restore compromised immune functions with beneficial effects on both antitumor and general immunity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2a, b

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Beatty GL, Paterson Y (2001) IFN-γ-dependent inhibition by tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T cells requires tumor responsiveness to IFN-γ. J Immunol 166:2276

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Clausen J, Vergeiner B, Enk M, Petzer AL, Gastl G, Gunsilius E (2003) Functional significance of the activation-associated receptors CD25 and CD69 on human NK-cells and NK-like T-cells. Immunobiology 207(2):85

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. De Vita F, Orditura M, Galizia G, Romano C, Roscigno A, Lieto E, Catalano G (2000) Serum interleukin-10 levels as a prognostic factor in advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. Chest 117:365

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Dredge K, Blake Marriott J, Todryk SM, Dalgleish AG (2002) Adjuvants and the promotion of Th1-type cytokines in tumour immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 51:521

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dunn GP, Bruce AT, Ikeda H, Old LJ, Schreiber RD (2002) Cancer immunoediting: from immunosurveillance to tumor escape. Nat Immunol 3(11):991

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fischer JR, Schindel M, Stein N, Lahm H, Gallati H, Krammer PH, Drings P (1995) Selective suppression of cytokine secretion in patients with small-cell lung cancer. Ann Oncol 6(9):921

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Haden JW (2003) Immunodeficiency and cancer: prospects for correction. Int Immunopharmacol 3:1061

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Haller D, Blum S, Bode C, Hammes WP, Schiffrin EJ (2000) Activation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by non-pathogenic bacteria in vitro: evidence of NK cells as primary targets. Infect Immun 68(2):752

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Heidecke C-D, Weighardt H, Feith M, Fink U, Zimmermann F, Stein HJ, Siewert J-R, Holzmann B (2002) Neoadjuvant treatment of esophageal cancer: immunosuppression following combined radiochemotherapy. Surgery 132(3):495

    Google Scholar 

  10. Heizelmann M, Polk HC Jr, Chernobelsky A, Stites TP, Gordon LE (2000) Endotoxin and muramyl dipeptide modulate surface receptor expression on human mononuclear cells. Immunopharmacol 48(2):117

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Lim LCL, Fiordalisi MN, Mantell JL, Schmitz JL, Folds JD (1998) A whole-blood assay for qualitative and semiquantitative measurements of CD69 surface expression on CD4 and CD8 T lymphocytes using flow cytometry. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 5(3):392

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Mackall Crystal L (2000) T-Cell Immunodeficiency following cytotoxic antineoplastic therapy: a review. Stem Cells 18:10

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Matanic D, Beg-Zegc Z, Stojanovic D, Matakoric-Mileusnic N, Flego V, Milevoj-Ribic F (2003) Cytokines in patients with lung cancer. Scand J Immunol 57:173

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Matsumoto M, Seya T, Kikkawa S, Tsuji S, Shida K, Nomura M, Kurita-Taniguchi M, Ohigashi H, Yokouchi H, Takami H, Hayasci A, Azuma I, Masaoka T, Kodama K, Toyoshima K (2001) Interferon gamma-producing ability in blood lymphocytes of patients with lung cancer through activation of the innate immune system by BCG cell wall skeleton. Int Immunopharmacol 1:1559

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Melichar B, Touskova M, Solichova D, Kralickova P, Kopecky G (2001) CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia and systemic immune activation in patients with primary and secondary liver tumours. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 61(5):363

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Shankaran V, Ikeda H, Bruce AT, Michael White J, Swanson PE, Old L, Schreiber RD (2001) IFN-γ and lymphocytes prevent primary tumor development and shape tumour immunogenicity. Nature 410:1107

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Steele TA (2002) Chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression and reconstitution of immune function. Leuk Res 26:411

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Tong AW, Seamour B, Lawson JM, Ordonez G, Vukelja S, Hyman W, Richards D, Stein L, Maples PB, Nemunaites J (2000) Cellular immune profile of patients with advanced cancer before and after taxane treatment. Am J Clin Oncol 23(5):463

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Werfel T, Boeker M, Kapp A (1997) Rapid expression of the CD69 antigen on T cells and natural killer cells upon antigenic stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells suspensions. Eur J Allergy Clin Immunol 52(4):465

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Woo EY, Chu CS, Goletz, Schlienger K, Yeh H, Coukos G, Rubin SC, Kaiser LR, June CH (2001) Regulatory CD4+CD25+T cells in tumors from patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer and late-stage ovarian cancer. Cancer Res 61:4766

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Zanussi S, Vaccher E, Caffau C, Pratesi C, Crepaldi C, Bortolin MT, Tedeschi R, Politi D, Barzan L, Tirelli U, De Paoli P (2003) Interferon-γ secretion and perforin expression are impaired in CD8+ T lymphocytes from patients with undifferentiated carcinoma of nasopharyngeal type. Cancer Immunol Immunother 52:28

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Romanian Ministry of Education, Research and Youth (Program Biotech, grant 097). The authors gratefully acknowledge the skillful technical assistance of Camelia Tabarta, Rodica Tudorache, and Florica Chioseolu. The contribution of Iuliana Francisca Serbanescu to data analysis is also appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, National Institute for Research and Development in Microbiology and Immunology “Cantacuzino”, Bucharest, Romania

    Iuliana Caras, Crina Stavaru, D. L. Radu, G. Szegli & Aurora Salageanu

  2. Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Alex. Trestioreanu”, Bucharest, Romania

    A. Grigorescu & I. Mogos

  3. Immunomodulators Group, Department of Immunology, Cantacuzino Institute, 103 Spl. Independentei, PO 050096, Bucharest, Romania

    Aurora Salageanu

Authors
  1. Iuliana Caras
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Grigorescu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Crina Stavaru
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. D. L. Radu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. I. Mogos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. G. Szegli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Aurora Salageanu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aurora Salageanu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Caras, I., Grigorescu, A., Stavaru, C. et al. Evidence for immune defects in breast and lung cancer patients. Cancer Immunol Immunother 53, 1146–1152 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-004-0556-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-004-0556-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation