TY - JOUR
T1 - Characterization of human γδ T lymphocytes infiltrating primary malignant melanomas
AU - Dieli, Francesco
AU - Moschella, Francesco
AU - Meraviglia, Serena
AU - Toia, Francesca
AU - Todaro, Matilde
AU - Rinaldi, Gaetana
AU - Stassi, Giorgio
AU - Cordova, Adriana
AU - La Mendola, Carmela
AU - Li Donni, Paolo
AU - Cicero, Giuseppe
AU - Caccamo, Nadia Rosalia
AU - Zichichi, Leonardo
AU - Orlando, Valentina
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - T lymphocytes are often induced naturally in melanoma patients and infiltrate tumors. Given that gamma delta T cells mediate antigen-specific killing of tumor cells, we studied the representation and the in vitro cytokine production and cytotoxic activity of tumor infiltrating gamma delta T cells from 74 patients with primary melanoma. We found that gamma delta T cells represent the major lymphocyte population infiltrating melanoma, and both V delta 1(+) and V delta 2(+) cells are involved. The majority of melanoma-infiltrating gamma delta cells showed effector memory and terminally-differentiated phenotypes and, accordingly, polyclonal gamma delta T cell lines obtained from tumor-infiltrating immune cells produced IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and were capable of killing melanoma cell lines in vitro. The cytotoxic capability of V delta 2 cell lines was further improved by pre-treatment of tumor target cells with zoledronate. Moreover, higher rate of gamma delta T cells isolation and percentages of V delta 2 cells correlate with early stage of development of melanoma and absence of metastasis. Altogether, our results suggest that a natural immune response mediated by gamma delta T lymphocytes may contribute to the immunosurveillance of melanoma.
AB - T lymphocytes are often induced naturally in melanoma patients and infiltrate tumors. Given that gamma delta T cells mediate antigen-specific killing of tumor cells, we studied the representation and the in vitro cytokine production and cytotoxic activity of tumor infiltrating gamma delta T cells from 74 patients with primary melanoma. We found that gamma delta T cells represent the major lymphocyte population infiltrating melanoma, and both V delta 1(+) and V delta 2(+) cells are involved. The majority of melanoma-infiltrating gamma delta cells showed effector memory and terminally-differentiated phenotypes and, accordingly, polyclonal gamma delta T cell lines obtained from tumor-infiltrating immune cells produced IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha and were capable of killing melanoma cell lines in vitro. The cytotoxic capability of V delta 2 cell lines was further improved by pre-treatment of tumor target cells with zoledronate. Moreover, higher rate of gamma delta T cells isolation and percentages of V delta 2 cells correlate with early stage of development of melanoma and absence of metastasis. Altogether, our results suggest that a natural immune response mediated by gamma delta T lymphocytes may contribute to the immunosurveillance of melanoma.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10447/74545
M3 - Article
VL - 7
JO - PLoS One
JF - PLoS One
SN - 1932-6203
ER -