Purpose: To elucidate the relation between infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes and the expression of MUC1 and sialoglycans in malignant eyelid tumors.
Methods: The distribution of MUC1, Maackia amurensis lectin-II (MAL-II)-recognized sialoglycan, and CD8-positive T lymphocytes was examined histochemically in 14 patients with malignant eyelid tumors: three squamous cell carcinomas, six sebaceous gland carcinomas, and five basal cell carcinomas. The density of CD8-positive cells was examined and correlated with MUC1 and sialoglycan expression.
Results: MUC1 was identified in squamous cell carcinoma and sebaceous gland carcinoma, but not in basal cell carcinoma. CD8-positive cells were more densely distributed in those squamous cell and sebaceous gland carcinoma cases that were more intense in MUC1 expression and weaker in MAL-II binding. Tumors with a strong expression of both MUC1 and MAL-II-bound sialoglycans showed few CD8-positive cells.
Conclusions: MUC1 with few sialoglycans is likely to induce an intense infiltration of CD8-positive cytotoxic T lymphocytes in eyelid cancers.