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Introduction: Cellular immune response to cancer is known to be of great importance for tumor control. Moreover, solid tumors influence circulating lymphocytes, which has been shown for several types of cancer. In our prospective study we elucidate changes in lymphocyte subsets in patients with colorectal carcinoma compared to healthy volunteers. Methods: Flow cytometry was performed at diagnosis of colon carcinoma to analyze B cells, T cells and NK cells including various subtypes of each group. Univariate and multivariate analyses including age, gender, tumor stage, sidedness and microsatellite instability status (MSI) were performed. Results: Forty-seven patients and 50 healthy volunteers were included. Median age was 65 years in patients and 43 years in the control group. Univariate analysis revealed lower total lymphocyte counts, lower CD4 + cells, CD8 + cells, B cells and NKs including various of their subsets in patients. In multivariate analysis patients had inferior values of B cells, CD4 + cells and NK cells and various subsets, regardless of age and gender. Naïve, central memory and HLADR + CD8 + cells showed an increase in patients whereas all other altered subsets declined. MSI status had no influence on circulating lymphocytes except for higher effector memory CD8 + cells in MSI-high patients. Localization in the left hemicolon led to higher values of total cytotoxic T cells and various T cell subsets. Conclusion: We found significant changes in circulating lymphocyte subsets in colon carcinoma patients, independent of physiological alterations due to gender or age. For some lymphocyte subsets significant differences according to tumor localization or MSI-status could be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlate with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and reflect the quality of the antitumor immune response. In this prospective study, we analyzed whether this response correlated with the circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood (PB). In 47 patients with newly diagnosed CRC, flow cytometry was performed to analyze the B cells, T cells, NK cells, and a variety of their subsets in PB. The results were correlated with TILs in the resected tumor and with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in nodal negative (N- patients (LN5: number of lymph nodes measuring ≥5 mm) and the metastasis-to-lymph node size ratio (MSR) in nodal positive patients (N+). Differences between the number of TILs could be seen between N+ and N- patients, dependent on the LN5 and MSR categories, with higher values in N- cases and in patients with a higher LN5 category or a lower MSR. Additionally, higher values of various circulating lymphocyte subgroups were observed in these patients. For the total PB lymphocytes, CD8 cells, and some of their subgroups, a positive correlation with the TILs was found. This study shows that circulating lymphocytes—in particular, cytotoxic T cells—correlate with the local antitumor immune response displayed by TILs and lymph node activation. Our findings indicate that local and generalized antitumor immune responses are concordant with their different components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphocytes play an important role in the immune response after stroke. However, our knowledge of the circulating lymphocytes in ischemic stroke is limited. Herein, we collected the blood samples of clinical ischemic stroke patients to detect the change of lymphocytes from admission to 3 months after ischemic stroke by flow cytometry. A total of 87 healthy controls and 210 patients were enrolled, and the percentages of circulating T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, double negative T cells (DNTs), CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), CD8+ Tregs, B cells and regulatory B cells (Bregs) were measured. Among patients, B cells, Bregs and CD8+ Tregs increased significantly, while CD4+ Tregs dropped and soon reversed after ischemic stroke. CD4+ Tregs, CD8+ Tregs, and DNTs also showed high correlations with the infarct volume and neurological scores of patients. Moreover, these lymphocytes enhanced the predictive ability of long-term prognosis of neurological scores when added to basic clinical information. The percentage of CD4+ Tregs within lymphocytes showed high correlations with both acute and long-term neurological outcomes, which exhibited a great independent predictive ability. These findings suggest that CD4+ Tregs can be a biomarker to predict stroke outcomes and improve existing therapeutic strategies of immunoregulatory lymphocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) correlate with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in patients with colorectal carcinoma (CRC) and reflect the quality of the antitumor immune response. In this prospective study, we analyzed whether this response correlated with the circulating lymphocytes in peripheral blood (PB). In 47 patients with newly diagnosed CRC, flow cytometry was performed to analyze the B cells, T cells, NK cells, and a variety of their subsets in PB. The results were correlated with TILs in the resected tumor and with the number and size of the surrounding lymph nodes in nodal negative (N- patients (LN5: number of lymph nodes measuring ≥5 mm) and the metastasis-to-lymph node size ratio (MSR) in nodal positive patients (N+). Differences between the number of TILs could be seen between N+ and N- patients, dependent on the LN5 and MSR categories, with higher values in N- cases and in patients with a higher LN5 category or a lower MSR. Additionally, higher values of various circulating lymphocyte subgroups were observed in these patients. For the total PB lymphocytes, CD8 cells, and some of their subgroups, a positive correlation with the TILs was found. This study shows that circulating lymphocytes—in particular, cytotoxic T cells—correlate with the local antitumor immune response displayed by TILs and lymph node activation. Our findings indicate that local and generalized antitumor immune responses are concordant with their different components.