Investig Clin Urol.  2019 Mar;60(2):91-98. 10.4111/icu.2019.60.2.91.

Characterization of human infiltrating and circulating gamma-delta T cells in prostate cancer

• Vella M
• Coniglio D
• Abrate A
• Scalici Gesolfo C
• Lo Presti
• Meraviglia S
• Serretta V
• Simonato A

• KMID: 2438819
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4111/icu.2019.60.2.91

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of our study was to prospectively evaluate the distribution of gamma-delta (γδ)1 and γδ2 T cells and their phenotypes in peripheral blood and prostate samples of patients diagnosed with or without prostate cancer (PCa) at prostate biopsy.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A consecutive series of 43 outpatients underwent trans-rectal echo-guided prostate biopsy for suspected PCa. Flow cytometry analysis was used to identify and characterize the γδ T cells populations in peripheral blood and tissue samples. Patients were stratified according to the presence or not of PCa, and its International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade (1 vs. ≥2).
RESULTS
The distribution of γδ T cells in peripheral blood and prostate tissue showed wide variability and non-significant differences. A slightly higher percentage of δ2 T cells and a slightly lower percentage of δ1 T cells were found in peripheral blood of cancer patients. A non-significantly higher percentage of both Vδ1 and Vδ2 was expressed in cancer tissues, but a trend for lower distribution of δ1 and δ2 T cells was observed in ISUP grade ≥2. The "central memory" and "effector memory" were the most expressed T cells phenotype in peripheral blood and tissue samples. However no substantial differences in T cells subtypes distribution between cancer and healthy tissue were observed.
CONCLUSIONS
No substantially different percentages of γδ T cells were found in peripheral blood and biopsy samples of healthy and PCa patients. However a non-significant trend for lower infiltrate in higher ISUP grade cancer tissue was observed, suggesting a possible role for the immunosurveillance of PCa.

Keyword

Biopsy; Immunologic surveillance; Neoplasm grading; Prostatic neoplasms; T-Lymphocyte subsets

MeSH Terms

Biopsy
Flow Cytometry
Humans*
Immunologic Surveillance
Monitoring, Immunologic
Neoplasm Grading
Outpatients
Passive Cutaneous Anaphylaxis
Pathology
Phenotype
Prospective Studies
Prostate*
Prostatic Neoplasms*
T-Lymphocyte Subsets
T-Lymphocytes*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Gating strategy for flow cytometric analysis of lymphocytes. SSC-A, side scatter area; FSC-A, forward scatter area; FSC-H, forward scatter height; APC, allophycocyanin; PerCp, peridinin chlorophyll protein; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; PE, phycoerythrin.

• 

  Fig. 2 (A) Percentage of total Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells in peripheral blood samples of healthy and prostate cancer (PCa) patients. (B) Distribution of Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells subsets in peripheral blood samples of healthy and PCa patients. (C) Percentage of total Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells in prostate biopsy samples of healthy and PCa patients. (D) Distribution of Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells subsets in prostate biopsy samples of healthy and PCa patients. Light blue columns identify Vδ1 and pink columns identify Vδ2 T cells. Tnaive, naive T cells; Tcm, central memory T cells; Tem, effector memory T cells; Temra, terminally differentiated T cells. Means were compared through Student t-test: p-values are reported above the corresponding columns.

• 

  Fig. 3 (A) Percentage of total Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells in prostate biopsy samples of prostate cancer (PCa) patients stratified according to ISUP grade (1 vs. ≥2). (B) Distribution of Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells subsets in in prostate biopsy samples of PCa patients stratified according to ISUP grade (1 vs. ≥2). Light blue columns identify ISUP grade 1 and pink columns identify ISUP grade ≥2. Tnaive, naive T cells; Tcm, central memory T cells; Tem, effector memory T cells; Temra, terminally differentiated T cells. Means were compared through Student t-test: p-values are reported above the corresponding columns (*p<0.05).

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