OBJECTIVETo examine the expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 in various cervical diseases and investigate their association with cervical cancer.

METHODSThe expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 in cervical tissues sampled from patients with cervical cancer, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and chronic cervicitis were detected using SP immunohistochemistry. The association of the expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 with the clinicopathologic indices of the patients was analyzed.

RESULTSThe positive expression rates of HLA class I antigen in cervical cancer, CIN, and chronic cervicitis were 22.6%, 100.0%, and 100.0%, and the positive expression rates of CD8 were 22.6%, 95.5%, and 100.0%, respectively. The positive rates of HLA class I antigen and CD8 were significantly lower in patients with cervical cancer (P<0.01). Patients with stage I cervical cancer had significantly higher positive rates of HLA class I antigen and CD8 than those with stage II cervical cancer (46.7% vs 0.0%, 46.7% vs 0.0%, both P<0.01). The expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 decreased with the progression of the clinicopathological stages, and may even become undetectable. The expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 were not related to the differentiation degree of the tumor or lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). A positive correlation was found between HLA class I antigen expression and CD8 expression.

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of HLA class I antigen and CD8 are down-regulated or deleted in CIN and cervical cancer, and they may play important roles in the development and progression of CIN and cervical cancer.