Expression and Clinical Significance of KLRG1 and 2B4 on T Cells in the Peripheral Blood and Tumour of Patients with Cervical Cancer

ABSTRACT

Background

Killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 (KLRG1) and 2B4 play important roles in the immune regulation and immune tolerance to tumor cells by inhibiting T cell function. However, the clinical relevance of KLRG1 and 2B4 to cervical cancer remains to be understood.

Methods

We measured the frequency of KLRG1+ or 2B4+ cells in CD4+ or CD8 + T cells derived from peripheral blood or tumour biopsies in cervical cancer patients by flow cytometry.

Results

Compared with healthy controls, the level of KLRG1 and 2B4 on CD8 + T cells in the blood of the patients increased significantly (P = .0056 and .0441). KLRG1 level on CD8 + T cells and 2B4 level on CD4 + T cells in peripheral blood were significantly higher than in tumor tissues (P < .0001 and P = .0003). Higher KLRG1 level on blood-derived CD8 + T cells was observed in patients older than 54 years (P = .001) or tested to be HPV-negative (P = .026). Tumor-infiltrated CD8 + T cells demonstrated elevated KLRG1 level in patients having pelvic lymph node metastasis (P = .016). Increased 2B4 level on blood-derived CD8 + T cells was also observed in patients older than 54 years (P < .001). KLRG1 expression on both CD4 + T (P = .0158) and CD8 + T (P = .0187) cells in the peripheral blood increased after radiotherapy.

Conclusion

KLRG1 level on T cells was related to age and HPV in patients with cervical cancer, while 2B4 level on T cells was related to age, underlying their roles in the host immune response to cervical cancer. Radiotherapy can improve the immune function of patients.

KEYWORDS:

• Cervical cancer
• T cells
• KLRG1
• 2B4

Acknowledgments

We thank all the patients and healthy women for participating in this study and donating their blood samples.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the [National Natural Science Foundation of China#1] under Grant [number U1603282]; [construction project of key laboratory outside Chinese Academy of Medical Science #2] under Grant [number 2019PT310021].