Ali Ariafar; Zahra Mansourabadi; Hojat Alipoor; Zahra Faghih
Abstract
Background: Gamma-delta (γδ) T cells are a distinct subset of T cells with a receptor composed of γ and δ chains. Their ability to directly recognize stress-induced molecules and non-peptide antigens expressed by cancer cells, along with their capacity to produce cytokines and ...
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Background: Gamma-delta (γδ) T cells are a distinct subset of T cells with a receptor composed of γ and δ chains. Their ability to directly recognize stress-induced molecules and non-peptide antigens expressed by cancer cells, along with their capacity to produce cytokines and interact with other immune cells, makes them potentially significant contributors to immune-based treatments.Objective: To investigate the presence and frequency of Tγδ cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes of patients with bladder cancer (BC), and to assess their association with prognostic parameters.Methods: Forty-nine fresh tumor-draining lymph nodes from untreated patients with BC were minced to obtain single cells. The cells were surface-stained with anti-CD3, anti-TCRγδ, and anti-HLA-DR antibodies, then acquired on a four-color FACSCalibur flow cytometer, and analyzed by FlowJo software.Results: On average, 2.07% ± 1.99% of CD3+ lymphocytes in regional nodes of BC exhibited a γδ T phenotype. A considerable percentage of these cells (37.90% ± 24.42%) expressed HLA-DR. Statistical analysis revealed that while the frequency of γδ T cells showed no variation among patients with different prognoses, the HLA-DR+ subset was higher in T4 patients than in T2 patients (p=0.031). These cells also tended to be increased in stage III compared to stage II (p=0.077).Conclusion: The data collectively indicated an association of HLA-DR expressing γδ T cells with prognostic factors related to tumor progression (higher T-group and stage), suggesting their potential involvement in disease progression. However, future research, including longitudinal studies with larger cohorts, needs to validate these findings and elucidate the functional roles of γδ T cells in the immune response against BC.
Ali Ariafar; Erfan Kohansal; Amirhassan Mousania; Zahra Faghih
Abstract
Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial innate components in anti-tumor immunity. However, the clinical impacts and their phenotypes in bladder cancer (BC) remain unclear.Objective: To assess the clinical significance of NK cell subsets in tumor-draining lymph nodes of patients with BC.Methods: ...
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Background: Natural killer (NK) cells are crucial innate components in anti-tumor immunity. However, the clinical impacts and their phenotypes in bladder cancer (BC) remain unclear.Objective: To assess the clinical significance of NK cell subsets in tumor-draining lymph nodes of patients with BC.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, pelvic lymph nodes were obtained from 49 untreated patients with BC. Mononuclear cells were isolated and immunophenotyped using CD3, CD56, CD16, CD27, and CD11b markers. NK cells were then classified based on their expression patterns of CD56/CD16 (conventional) and CD27/CD11b (new).Results: On average, NK cells constituted 2.99±1.44% of the total lymphocytes in the draining lymph node of patients with BC. The CD56dim and regulatory NK subsets (CD27+CD11b+/-) were the predominant old and new NK, respectively. The NK cells significantly increased in patients with at least one involved node (LN+) compared with those with free nodes (LN-; p=0.022). Conversely, CD56dimCD16- subset significantly decreased in higher stages (p=0.032) and in tumors with muscle invasion (p=0.038). Significant variations were also observed in different T-stages (p<0.05). Regarding new classification, the frequency of CD11b+ regulatory NK cells was significantly lower in node-positive patients (p=0.025).Conclusion: These findings emphasize the dynamic nature of NK cell subsets in bladder cancer and their potential relevance in disease progression and management, suggesting potential implications for therapeutic strategies targeting these specific subsets.
Mohammad Reza Haghshenas; Seyed Reza Hosseini; Mohammad Javad Fattahi; Mahyar Malekzadeh; Ali Ariafar; Abbas Ghaderi
Abstract
Background: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a recently described cytokine that emerges as a natural inhibitor of inflammatory and immune responses. However, IL-37 has not yet been investigated in bladder cancer, and its biological role is unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate IL-37 ...
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Background: Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a recently described cytokine that emerges as a natural inhibitor of inflammatory and immune responses. However, IL-37 has not yet been investigated in bladder cancer, and its biological role is unknown. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate IL-37 serum levels in patients with bladder cancer and determine whether they were linked to the patients' pathological characteristics. Methods: IL-37 serum levels were measured using a commercial ELISA kit in 60 patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder (mean age: 64.55±12.93) and 50 healthy controls (mean age: 62.94±12.69). Non-parametric tests were used for statistical comparisons, and the Cohen's d effect size was calculated to evaluate the practical and clinical significance of the results. Results: Our findings indicated an increasing trend in IL-37 serum levels in patients with TCC (42.77±3.36 pg/ml) in comparison with controls (40.51±7.32 pg/ml, p=0.09). However, IL-37 serum levels were found to be significantly higher in male patients (44.72±3.81 pg/ml) and patients aged ≥70 (46.92±6.77 pg/ml) in comparison with male controls (29.96±3.30 pg/ml, p=0.026) and controls aged ≥70 (23.62±4.43 pg/ml, p=0.009). In comparison to similar controls, Cohen's d effect size for patients aged ≥70 years was found to be 0.90. Conclusion: The findings reveal a higher serum level of IL-37 in patients with TCC, which might be clinically associated with immunosuppression and tumor growth. However, this is a preliminary study, and more research on the biological role of IL-37 and its potential therapeutic effects in bladder cancer is required.
