An Immunohistochemical Study on the Role of CD83+ Dendritic Cells (DCs) in Malignant and Benign Lesions of the Human Cervix

Background Dendritic cells (DCs) are a group of cells that mainly function as antigen-presenting cells in the human body. Proper knowledge and understanding of such cells in the human cervix would be beneficial for understanding the role of CD83+ cells in benign and malignant lesions of the cervix. Materials and methods This retrospective study was performed on cervical specimens. After processing, the CD83+ cells were counted for every 20 high-power fields. The average count per high power field (HPF) was then calculated. The CD83+ cell distributions in cervicitis, cervical dysplasia, and cervical carcinoma were then analyzed. Results A total of 30 cervical specimens were studied. Of these, 16 were cervicitis and seven were squamous cell carcinoma. Vaginal bleeding was the most common presentation in 21 patients. The mean age was 44.7 years. The mean CD83+ DCs in benign lesions was 1.75 and in malignant tissues was 12.26 per HPF (P<0.001). The area under the curve suggested a 100% sensitivity and specificity of CD83 in distinguishing benign and malignant lesions. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that the probability of malignancy is higher if the number of CD83+ DCS is more than 179.50/20 HPF. Conclusions Dendritic cells play a major role in the tumoricidal activities of the host cervical tissues. Malignant cervical tissue possesses a higher concentration of CD83+ DCs than benign ones, with 100% sensitivity and specificity. This research work on CD83+ DCs in the cervix would pave the way for further research on the immune functions of the human body.