NK cells and the profile of inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood of patients with advanced carcinomas

Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved..

BACKGROUND: Natural killer (NK) cells are one of the most crucial immune cells that mediate the antitumoral response due to their ability to immediately recognize and eliminate transformed cells. Because of their great cytotoxic activity, the function of NK cells must be robustly regulated to avoid tissue damage. Such regulation is mediated by a coordinated engagement of activating (NKp46) and inhibitory (CD158b) receptors, which tumor cells may use to escape from immunosurveillance. Also, NK cells are generally divided based on surface molecules, such as CD16 and CD56, and can be classified as CD56brightCD16- (regulatory) and CD56dimCD16+ (cytotoxic) NK cells. Here, we aimed to evaluate the frequency and phenotype of circulating NK cells in patients with advanced carcinomas, as well as their systemic cytokine/chemokine and growth factors production.

METHODS: Peripheral blood was collected from 24 patients with advanced solid cancer during or after treatment and from 10 healthy donors. The frequency and the expression of activating (NKp46) and inhibitory (CD158b) molecules of CD56brightCD16- and CD56dimCD16+ NK cells were assessed by flow cytometry and the multiplex Luminex platform was used to quantify the secreted factors in peripheral blood serum.

RESULTS: Cancer patients had a lower frequency of the cytotoxic CD56dim CD16+ NK cells subset in comparison with healthy controls. Also, the regulatory CD56bright CD16- NKs isolated from cancer patients exhibited a significantly lower expression of NKp46. Among 29 immunological and growth factors analyzed in the peripheral blood of oncologic patients, MCP-1, IP-10, and eotaxin, and VEGF they have presented a higher proportion. The Pearson correlation test showed that IL-12p40 positively correlates with CD56brightCD16- NK cells. We also observed a positive correlation between MCP-1 and the activating marker NKp46, as well as a negative correlation between IP-10 and TNF-α and NKp46. CD158b expression in CD56dimCD16+ was positively correlated with EGF and negatively correlated with MIP-1β.

CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these results suggest that cancer patients present a shift towards a poorly cytotoxic and less activated NK profile which may contribute to tumor development and progression. The understanding of NK cell biology and soluble factors during tumor development could aid in the design of possible targeting therapeutic approaches.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:174

Enthalten in:

Cytokine - 174(2024) vom: 01. Feb., Seite 156455

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Saito, Luciana Mieli [VerfasserIn]
Ortiz, Rafael Carneiro [VerfasserIn]
Amôr, Nádia Ghinelli [VerfasserIn]
Lopes, Nathália Martins [VerfasserIn]
Buzo, Rodrigo Fonseca [VerfasserIn]
Garlet, Gustavo Pompermaier [VerfasserIn]
Rodini, Camila Oliveira [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Advanced solid tumors
CD56 Antigen
Chemokine CXCL10
Chemokines
Cytokines
Growth factors
Journal Article
Natural killer cells
Peripheral blood
Receptors, IgG
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 01.01.2024

Date Revised 08.04.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156455

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM365341290