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. 2021 Oct 15:2021:2328218.
doi: 10.1155/2021/2328218. eCollection 2021.

Assessment of Immune Cell Populations in Tumor Tissue and Peripheral Blood Samples from Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Ana Caruntu  1   2 , Liliana Moraru  1   2 , Mihaela Surcel  3 , Adriana Munteanu  3   4 , Cristiana Tanase  5   6 , Carolina Constantin  3   7 , Sabina Zurac  7   8 , Constantin Caruntu  9   10 , Monica Neagu  3   4   7
Affiliations
Free PMC article

Assessment of Immune Cell Populations in Tumor Tissue and Peripheral Blood Samples from Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients

Ana Caruntu et al. Anal Cell Pathol (Amst). .
Free PMC article

Abstract

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common type of cancer worldwide. Strong connections have been revealed between immune cells and the pathogenesis of HNSCC. Important differences regarding the levels of immune cell subpopulations in both peripheral circulation and tumor microenvironment were emphasized, with some of them having prognostic significance. In our study, we performed an analysis of immune changes in the tumor tissue and the peripheral blood of untreated HNSCC patients, investigating the proportions of different immune cell populations in these two compartments. The local infiltrating lymphocytes were mainly cytotoxic T cells (CD8+). We have also revealed an increased level of B lymphocytes (CD19+) in the tumor microenvironment. In peripheral blood, the most important lymphocyte subtype was represented by the helper T lymphocytes (CD4+). We also found an increased proportion of circulating NK cells (CD56+). Our results showed significant differences between all investigated lymphocyte subtypes in the peripheral blood and the tumor tissue of untreated HNSCC patients, suggesting that the local and systemic expressions of antitumor immune responses are different and that investigation of immune cell proportions in peripheral circulation has different cues that do not reflect the immune infiltrate pattern within the tumor microenvironment. Further studies are necessary to unveil the complex interplay involving local and systemic events in the immune system's fight against cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Immune cell subtypes evaluated within the inflammatory infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). (a) (CD4+) T lymphocytes within the peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate. (b) Numerous (CD8+) T cells within the intratumor inflammatory infiltrate (E). (c) (CD19+) B lymphocytes, mostly forming small aggregates present within the peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate. (d) Few (CD56+) NK cells within the peritumoral inflammatory infiltrate. Original magnification ×400.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentual representation of immune cell populations in tumor tissue and peripheral blood samples of HNSCC patients. The error bars represent the standard deviation; ∗∗p < 0.01; ∗∗∗p < 0.001.
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