Spatial distribution of FoxP3+ and CD8+ tumour infiltrating T cells reflects their functional activity

Posselt R, Erlenbach-Wuensch K, Haas M, Jeßberger J, Buettner-Herold M, Haderlein M, Hecht M, Hartmann A, Fietkau R, Distel L (2016)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2016

Journal

Oncotarget Impact Journals

DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.11039

Abstract

Regulatory and cytotoxic T cells are key players in the host's anticancer immune response. We studied the spatial distribution of FoxP+ and CD8+ cells to identify potential interactions.In 202 patients 103 pre-radiochemotherapy biopsies and 153 post-radiochemotherapy tumour specimens of advanced rectal cancer were available and an immunohistochemical double staining of FoxP3+ and CD8+ tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes was performed to investigate cell density and cell-to-cell distances.FoxP3+ cells decreased after radiochemotherapy by a factor of 3 while CD8+ cells remained nearly unchanged. High epithelial (p=0.033) and stromal (p=0.009) FoxP3+ cell density was associated with an improved overall survival. Cell-to-cell distances of randomly distributed cells were simulated and compared to observed cell-to-cell distances. Observed distances shorter than the simulated, random distances were hypothesized to represent FoxP3+ cells actively interacting with CD8+ cells. Epithelial short distances were associated with a favourable prognosis while the opposite was true for the stromal compartment.The analysis of cell-to-cell distances may offer a tool to predict outcome, maybe by identifying functionally active, interacting infiltrating inflammatory cells in different tumour compartments.

Authors with CRIS profile

Rebecca Posselt Lehrstuhl für Strahlentherapie Jonas Jeßberger Lehrstuhl für Strahlentherapie Marlen Haderlein Department of Radiation Oncology Markus Hecht Department of Radiation Oncology Arndt Hartmann Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Pathologie und Pathologische Anatomie Rainer Fietkau Lehrstuhl für Strahlentherapie Luitpold Distel Department of Radiation Oncology

Involved external institutions

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Posselt, R., Erlenbach-Wuensch, K., Haas, M., Jeßberger, J., Buettner-Herold, M., Haderlein, M.,... Distel, L. (2016). Spatial distribution of FoxP3+ and CD8+ tumour infiltrating T cells reflects their functional activity. Oncotarget. https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.11039

MLA:

Posselt, Rebecca, et al. "Spatial distribution of FoxP3+ and CD8+ tumour infiltrating T cells reflects their functional activity." Oncotarget (2016).

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