Decreased Levels of Circulating Regulatory NK Cells in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer throughout all Tumor Stages
- 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- 2Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Schleswig-Holstein Campus Lübeck, 23538 Lübeck, Germany
- Correspondence to: Barbara Wollenberg, UK-SH, Klinik für HNO, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany. Tel: +49 451 5002241, Fax: +49 451 5002249, e-mail: Barbara.Wollenberg{at}uk-sh.de
Abstract
Background: Natural killer (NK) cells play a crucial role in innate immunity as effectors against tumor cells and pathogen-infected cells. Human NK cells can be subdivided into two functional subsets, the immunoregulatory CD56bright NK cells and the cytotoxic CD56dim NK cells. NK-mediated host defence against tumor cells is strongly impaired in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials and Methods: NK cells were isolated from peripheral blood of 70 HNSCC patients and 22 healthy donors by magnetic bead separation and subsequently analyzed using flow cytometric as well as immunohistochemical methods. Results: In this work we demonstrate that the population of circulating immunoregulatory CD56bright NK cells is lower in the peripheral blood of patients with HNSCC as compared with that in healthy donors, regardless of the individual tumor stage or tumor type. Conclusion: These data underline the complex network of HNSCC-mediated immunomodulation as part of the immune escape mechanisms of malignant head and neck tumors.
Footnotes
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↵* Both authors contributed equally to this work.
- Received February 9, 2009.
- Revision received April 6, 2009.
- Accepted May 13, 2009.
- Copyright© 2009 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved
