Central Memory CD4+ T cells (TCM) in tumor draining lymph nodes of patients with breast cancer and their association with clinicopathological parameters of the disease

Introduction: Immunological memory cells are one of the prominent features of adaptive immune system and provide faster and stronger protection in the second antigen encountering. Memory compartment is heterogeneous, which based on the expression of homing molecules, CD62L and CCR7, are conventionally divided into two main subsets of Central (TCM) and Effector (TEF) memory T cells. TCM cells highly express CCR7 and CD62L and frequently present in lymphoid organs, and relatively deficient in nonlymphoid tissues. They consider as long lasting cells that rapidly transform into TEF. In the present study, we investigated CD4+TCM frequency in tumor draining lymph nodes of patients with breast cancer and its association with different clinical and pathological factors of the disease. Material and methods: Anti-CD4, -CCR7, -CD45RO, -CD95 antibodies were used to detect different subtypes of central memory cells in lymph nodes of 50 untreated patients with breast cancer using flow-cytometry technique.Results: Two subpopulations of CD4+CCR7+CD95+ TCM with high and low expression of CD45RO could be observed in tumor draining lymph nodes. The frequency of CD4+CD95+TCMCD45Rolow cells significantly increased in patients with stage II (P=0.05) and III (P=0.02), involved lymph nodes (P=0.002) and positive lymphovascular invasion (P=0.01).