CD4, CD8 and PD1 immunoexpression in oral premalignant lesions (PML) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its association with malignant transformation.

Abstract

113 Background: OSCC is a public health problem worldwide, mainly due to its advanced stage diagnosis. The late diagnosis is a nonsense problem in view of this neoplasia often begins as PML. Clinical, molecular and immunological factors have been associated with the cancerization process. Objective: evaluate clinical differences and immunohistochemistry expression of PD1, CD4 and CD8 in PML that transformed in OSCC (PML-OSCC) and PML that didn´t transformed in OSCC (PML-NOSSC). Methods: CD4, CD8 and PD1 immunohistochemistry studies were carried out on PML and OSCC samples of 11 patients with PML – OSCC and PML samples of 14 patients with PML-NOSCC. Statistical differences were analyzed between the two groups: PML-OSCC and PML-NOSCC. Results: Non-homogenous leukoplakia, tongue and lack of exposure to tobacco were associated with cancerization. PD1 strong immunoexpression were observed in 63.6% of PML and 90.9% of OSCC. There was no statistical difference CD4+ cells level in PML-OSCC and PML-NOSCC. A significant increase in CD8+ cells was noted in OSCC comparing with PML–OSCC (p = 0.05). CD8+ cells levels is higher in PML-NOSCC compared with PML-OSCC (p = 0.027). Conclusions: CD8+ cells infiltrate more PML-NOSCC than PML-OSCC. Carcinoma is more infiltrated by CD8+ cells than its associated premalignant lesion. The evolution of immune response from an immunosurveillance phase to editing, equilibrium, suppression and immuno-escape can be present in oral carcinogenesis process. Research Funding: FAPEMIG (Minas Gerais State Research Foundation).

Immunohistochemical Differences in Squamous Precancerous and Cancerous Lesions of the Oral Cavity and the Larynx: Preliminary Data

“…Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify robust biomarkers to potentially stratify patients to individualized treatment approaches. In recent years, the importance of immune cell populations in the microenvironment of both precancerous and cancerous scenarios has been affirmed [7][8][9]. A plethora of evidence now supports the central role of numerous cell types, such as CD4+, CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and programmed death 1 (PD1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathways, in the cancer immunoediting process [7][8][9].…”

“…In recent years, the importance of immune cell populations in the microenvironment of both precancerous and cancerous scenarios has been affirmed [7][8][9]. A plethora of evidence now supports the central role of numerous cell types, such as CD4+, CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and programmed death 1 (PD1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathways, in the cancer immunoediting process [7][8][9]. This consists of three sequential phases, in which innate and adaptive immunity promote transformed cell death (elimination phase), controlling net tumor cell outgrowth (equilibrium phase) until these tumor cells acquire resistance to the immune system (escape phase) [10].…”

“…This consists of three sequential phases, in which innate and adaptive immunity promote transformed cell death (elimination phase), controlling net tumor cell outgrowth (equilibrium phase) until these tumor cells acquire resistance to the immune system (escape phase) [10]. However, the role of this immune response in the natural history of preinvasive squamous cell lesions and invasive SCC of the oral cavity and larynx needs to be better defined [7][8][9].…”