Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Immunology logoLink to Immunology
. 1990 Feb;69(2):282–286.

Density and phenotype of tumour-associated mononuclear cells in colonic carcinomas determined by computer-assisted video image analysis.

M N Norazmi 1, A W Hohmann 1, J M Skinner 1, L R Jarvis 1, J Bradley 1
PMCID: PMC1385602  PMID: 1968427

Abstract

The density and phenotypes of tumour-associated mononuclear cells (TAMC) in tissue sections of colonic carcinomas was determined by the technique of video image analysis (VIA). This technique allowed an accurate and objective enumeration of both total mononuclear cells (MC) in H&E stained sections and individual types of cells as revealed by immunoperoxidase staining with monoclonal antibodies in frozen sections. This enumeration allowed reliable statistical analysis of the differences between sample groups. Using this technique it was found that the density of MC in histiologically normal tissue was significantly higher than in tumour tissue. Tumours from patients with the best prognosis (stage A) had significantly higher numbers of TAMC than stage B (P less than 0.02), C (P less than 0.002) and D (P less than 0.002) tumours. The differences in the density of TAMC between tumours obtained from stage B and C and that between C and D were not significant, whereas stage B had a significantly higher TAMC density than stage D tumours (P less than 0.05). Comparing tumour differentiation, well differentiated adenocarcinomas had a significantly higher (P less than 0.05) TAMC density than poorly differentiated tumours but not moderately differentiated tumours. Moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas did not differ significantly in the density of TAMC. In examining the phenotype of these cells, it was found that T lymphocytes formed the majority of the TAMC with the CD4+ subset predominating in 28 of 29 cases. Similarly, all sections of normal colon (taken at least 4 cm away from the tumour) had more CD4+ than CD8+ cells. The proportion of the total leucocyte population that was CD3+ was comparable in normal and tumour tissue. Generally, few macrophages were present in either tumour or normal tissues. B cells (CD21%) and subset of NK cells (CD57+) were not detected in the tumours. There were no significant differences in the proportion of leucocytes which were CD4+, CD8+ and CD14+ (macrophages) between the normal colon and the tumour tissues. The types of cells in the TAMC population did not differ with tumour stage or differentiation or with the density of the TAMC itself.

Full text

PDF
282

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abo T., Balch C. M. A differentiation antigen of human NK and K cells identified by a monoclonal antibody (HNK-1). J Immunol. 1981 Sep;127(3):1024–1029. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Allen C., Hogg N. Elevation of infiltrating mononuclear phagocytes in human colorectal tumors. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1987 Mar;78(3):465–470. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. An T., Sood U., Pietruk T., Cummings G., Hashimoto K., Crissman J. D. In situ quantitation of inflammatory mononuclear cells in ductal infiltrating breast carcinoma. Relation to prognostic parameters. Am J Pathol. 1987 Jul;128(1):52–60. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Brochier J., Magaud J. P., Cordier G., Millet I., Marti J., Bryon P. A. Heterogeneity of human B lymphocytes as revealed by monoclonal antibodies. Ann Immunol (Paris) 1984 Nov-Dec;135D(3):283–299. doi: 10.1016/s0769-2625(84)81192-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Csiba A., Whitwell H. L., Moore M. Distribution of histocompatibility and leucocyte differentiation antigens in normal human colon and in benign and malignant colonic neoplasms. Br J Cancer. 1984 Nov;50(5):699–709. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1984.239. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Davis N. C., Newland R. C. Terminology and classification of colorectal adenocarcinoma: the Australian clinico-pathological staging system. Aust N Z J Surg. 1983 Jun;53(3):211–221. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1983.tb02430.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Engleman E. G., Benike C. J., Glickman E., Evans R. L. Antibodies to membrane structures that distinguish suppressor/cytotoxic and helper T lymphocyte subpopulations block the mixed leukocyte reaction in man. J Exp Med. 1981 Jul 1;154(1):193–198. doi: 10.1084/jem.154.1.193. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hsu S. M., Raine L., Fanger H. Use of avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) in immunoperoxidase techniques: a comparison between ABC and unlabeled antibody (PAP) procedures. J Histochem Cytochem. 1981 Apr;29(4):577–580. doi: 10.1177/29.4.6166661. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Köhler G., Milstein C. Continuous cultures of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity. Nature. 1975 Aug 7;256(5517):495–497. doi: 10.1038/256495a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Ledbetter J. A., Evans R. L., Lipinski M., Cunningham-Rundles C., Good R. A., Herzenberg L. A. Evolutionary conservation of surface molecules that distinguish T lymphocyte helper/inducer and cytotoxic/suppressor subpopulations in mouse and man. J Exp Med. 1981 Feb 1;153(2):310–323. doi: 10.1084/jem.153.2.310. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Rowe D. J., Beverley P. C. Characterisation of breast cancer infiltrates using monoclonal antibodies to human leucocyte antigens. Br J Cancer. 1984 Feb;49(2):149–159. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1984.27. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Svennevig J. L., Lunde O. C., Holter J., Bjørgsvik D. Lymphoid infiltration and prognosis in colorectal carcinoma. Br J Cancer. 1984 Mar;49(3):375–377. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1984.60. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Umpleby H. C., Heinemann D., Symes M. O., Williamson R. C. Expression of histocompatibility antigens and characterization of mononuclear cell infiltrates in normal and neoplastic colorectal tissues of humans. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1985 Jun;74(6):1161–1168. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Underwood J. C. Lymphoreticular infiltration in human tumours: prognostic and biological implications: a review. Br J Cancer. 1974 Dec;30(6):538–548. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1974.233. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Ware B. R., Klein J. W. Assembly of actin filaments studied by laser light scattering and fluorescence photobleaching recovery. Biophys J. 1986 Jan;49(1):147–149. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(86)83629-3. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Watt A. G., House A. K. Colonic carcinoma: a quantitative assessment of lymphocyte infiltration at the periphery of colonic tumors related to prognosis. Cancer. 1978 Jan;41(1):279–282. doi: 10.1002/1097-0142(197801)41:1<279::aid-cncr2820410139>3.0.co;2-b. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Whitwell H. L., Hughes H. P., Moore M., Ahmed A. Expression of major histocompatibility antigens and leucocyte infiltration in benign and malignant human breast disease. Br J Cancer. 1984 Feb;49(2):161–172. doi: 10.1038/bjc.1984.28. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Zola H., McNamara P., Thomas M., Smart I. J., Bradley J. The preparation and properties of monoclonal antibodies against human granulocyte membrane antigens. Br J Haematol. 1981 Jul;48(3):481–490. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1981.tb02740.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Immunology are provided here courtesy of British Society for Immunology

RESOURCES