This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary Data All Versions of this Article: 0008-5472.CAN-09-0852v1 69/21/8412    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Attig, S. Articles by Gouttefangeas, C. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Attig, S. Articles by Gouttefangeas, C.

Simultaneous Infiltration of Polyfunctional Effector and Suppressor T Cells into Renal Cell Carcinomas

¹ Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, Eberhard-Karls University; ² Clinic for Urology, ³ Section for Transplantation Immunology and Immunohematology, Tübingen Aging and Tumor Immunology Group, and ⁴ Section for Transplantation Immunology and Immunohematology, Center for Medical Research, and ⁵ Department of Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany; ⁶ Department of Experimental Immunology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and ⁷ Department of Immunology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

Requests for reprints: Cécile Gouttefangeas, Department of Immunology, Institute for Cell Biology, Eberhard-Karls University, Auf der Morgenstelle 15, 72076 Tübingen, Germany. Phone: 49-7071-2980994; Fax: 49-7071-295653; E-mail: cecile.gouttefangeas{at}uni-tuebingen.de.

Renal cell carcinoma is frequently infiltrated by cells of the immune system. This makes it important to understand interactions between cancer cells and immune cells so they can be manipulated to bring clinical benefit. Here, we analyze subsets and functions of T lymphocytes infiltrating renal cell tumors directly ex vivo following mechanical disaggregation and without any culture step. Subpopulations of memory and effector CD4⁺ Th1, Th2, and Th17 and CD8⁺ Tc1 cells were identified based on surface phenotype, activation potential, and multicytokine production. Compared with the same patient's peripheral blood, T lymphocytes present inside tumors were found to be enriched in functional CD4⁺ cells of the Th1 lineage and in effector memory CD8⁺ cells. Additionally, several populations of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ regulatory T cells were identified that may synergize to locally dampen antitumor T-cell responses. [Cancer Res 2009;69(21):8412–9]

Key Words: T-cell subset • tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte • polyfunctionality