OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alteration of T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx. METHOD: T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity were determined by flow cytometry in 123 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx. Blood samples of 36 nontumor patients were used as control. RESULT: The total T lymphocytes were lower in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx than control group significantly (P < 0.05). The levels of helper lymphocyte subsets were little lower than those in control group(P > 0.05). On the other hand, the levels of suppressor lymphocytes in patients were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Therefore, the CD4/CD8 ratios in patients were lower than those of the control group statistically (P < 0.05). There was no statistical difference in activated T lymphocytes and total B lymphocytes (P > 0.05), but NK activity in patients were lower than those in control group significantly (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in total T lymphocytes between stage I-II and stage III--IV (P > 0.05). The levels of helper lymphocyte subsets in stage I-II patients were little higher than in stage III-IV patients (P > 0.05), but the levels of suppressor lymphocytes in stage I-II patients were lower than in stage III-IV patients (P < 0.01). The CD4/CD8 ratios in stage I-II patients were significantly higher than in stage III-IV patients (P < 0.01). The levels of total B lymphocytes in stage I-II patients were significantly higher than in stage III-IV patients (P < 0.05). The activated T lymphocytes and NK activity did not changed statistically (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The immune function in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of pharynx and larynx is disordered and lower. With advanced stage disease, not only the cellular immune function in patients decrease gradually, but also the humoral immunity is lower. Analyzing T-lymphocyte subsets and NK activity determined by flow cytometry would be easy and helpful to evaluate the immunologic condition of every patient.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; immunology ; metabolism ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Killer Cells, Natural ; immunology ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms ; immunology ; metabolism ; T-Lymphocyte Subsets ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo study the clinical features, immunophenotypes and the significance of Epstein-Barr virus infection in primary nasal and pharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in Shenyang.

METHODSOne hundred and fifty eight cases of primary nasal and pharyngeal non-Hodgkin's lymphomas were included in this study. The samples were stained with haematoxylin and eosin for histological examination. Immunohistochemistry studies were performed using monoclonal antibodies, including CD3 for T-lymphocytes, CD20 for B-lymphocytes, and CD56 and CD57 for NK cells. All cases were reclassified according to the new WHO classification of lymphomas (2001). In situ hybridization detection of EBV-encoded small nuclear RNA (EBER-1) was performed in 99 cases.

RESULTSOverall, 101 (63.9%) of the 158 NHL were extranodal NK/T cell lymphomas (nasal type), 23 (14.6%) were nonspecific peripheral T cell lymphomas and the remaining 34 cases (21.5%) were B cell lymphomas. The primary sites of involvement were the nasal cavity (53.2%, 84/158), the tonsil (24.7%, 39/158) and the pharynx (22.1%, 35/158). Among 99 cases studied by EBER-1 in situ hybridization, a positive detection was seen in 70/71 cases (98.6%) of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (nasal type), 8/12 cases (66.7%) of T cell lymphoma, and 7/16 cases (43.8%) of B cell lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONSAmong primary nasal and pharyngeal NK lymphomas, extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (nasal type) is the most common type and is strongly associated with EBV infection. The pathological diagnosis of nasal and pharyngeal lymphomas should take considerations of the anatomic sites and immunophenotypical features.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; CD3 Complex ; metabolism ; CD56 Antigen ; metabolism ; Child ; Female ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasal Cavity ; Nose Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; RNA, Viral ; metabolism ; Tonsillar Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; virology ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: To investigate the anti-tumor effect of capsaicin on human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells (FaDu). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of apoptosis/cell cycle-related proteins (or genes) was examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and ELISA methods, while the apoptotic cell population, cell morphology and DNA fragmentation levels were assessed using flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy and agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Capsaicin was found to inhibit the growth and proliferation of FaDu cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Apoptotic cell death was confirmed by observing increases in nuclear condensation, nuclear DNA fragmentation and sub-G1 DNA content. The observed increase in cytosolic cytochrome c, activation of caspase 3 and PARP (p85) levels following capsaicin treatment indicated that the apoptotic response was mitochondrial pathway-dependent. Gene/protein expression analysis of Bcl-2, Bad and Bax further revealed decreased anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein and increased pro-apoptotic Bad/Bax expression. Furthermore, capsaicin suppressed the cell cycle progression at the G1/S phase in FaDu cells by decreasing the expression of the regulators of cyclin B1 and D1, as well as cyclin-dependent protein kinases cdk-1, cdk-2 and cdk-4. CONCLUSION: Our current data show that capsaicin induces apoptosis in FaDu cells and this response is associated with mitochondrial pathways, possibly by mediating cell cycle arrest at G1/S.
Apoptosis/drug effects ; Blotting, Western ; Capsaicin/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/*metabolism ; Cell Cycle/drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Microscopy, Fluorescence ; Pharyngeal Neoplasms/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics/metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; bcl-2-Associated X Protein/genetics/metabolism ; bcl-Associated Death Protein/genetics/metabolism