Heat shock protein induced TCR gammadelta gene rearrangements in patients with oral cancer

Oral Oncol. 2005 Feb;41(2):175-82. doi: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2004.08.007.

Abstract

We analyzed the T cell receptor (TCR) gammadelta gene repertoire in peripheral blood and tumor compartment of oral cancer (OC) patients before and after stimulation with heat shock proteins (hsp), which are known ligands for gammadelta T cells. Clonal TCR gamma and delta gene rearrangements in lymphocytes from tumor compartment and peripheral blood were studied using TCR Vgamma and Vdelta gene primers in PCR followed by heteroduplex analysis. Vgamma gene segments derived from VgammaI or VgammaII gene families were most dominantly expressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) as compared to tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) of OC patients. Of the rearranged TCR delta alleles Vdelta1-Jdelta1 and Vdelta2-Jdelta1 gene rearrangements were the most predominant in PBL and TIL of OC patients respectively. Stimulation of gammadelta T cells with hsp 60/70 demonstrated a selective clonal expansion of Vgamma9-Vdelta2 (VgammaII family) subset indicating that, this expanded population of cells could be responsible for eliciting an immune response against oral tumor cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / blood
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / immunology*
  • Chaperonin 60 / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / genetics*
  • Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / genetics*
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth Neoplasms / blood
  • Mouth Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / genetics*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism

Substances

  • Chaperonin 60
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta