Abstract
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been described in a variety of human solid tumors. It is unknown whether such T cells are nonspecific inflammatory cells or a subset of specific host immune responses. To examine this question, we have analyzed the clonotypes of TCR beta-chain messages expressed in TIL, draining lymph nodes, and PBL of 10 patients with uterine or ovarian tumors. We report here that TIL bears distinct T cell clonotype accumulations only in patients without obvious metastasis. In contrast, accumulations of clonally expanded T cells were also found in lymph nodes and PBL of patients with metastatic cancer. The numbers and locations of the accumulated T cell clonotypes seemed to correlate with the stage of tumor invasion and the degree of metastasis. These data support the existence of Ag-driven immune responses to solid tumors in vivo.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adenocarcinoma / immunology
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Adenocarcinoma / pathology
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / immunology
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Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / pathology
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Clone Cells
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Endometrial Neoplasms / immunology
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Endometrial Neoplasms / pathology
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Female
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Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor
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Genital Neoplasms, Female / immunology*
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Genital Neoplasms, Female / pathology
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Humans
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Immunophenotyping
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Leiomyosarcoma / immunology
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Leiomyosarcoma / pathology
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Lymphatic Metastasis / immunology
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Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology*
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Neoplasm Invasiveness / immunology
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Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology
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Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology*
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Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / immunology
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Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / pathology
Substances
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Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta