Fig. 2.

Infiltration of leukocytes into the neoplastic cervical tissues. During cervical dysplasia, cytokines capable of attracting leukocytes (chemokines) and inducing leukocyte infiltration can be produced. These infiltrating cells can be mononuclear cells with phenotypes of CD8, CD4, CD25 and monocytes/macrophages (Mn/MΦ). Some of the infiltrating cells may be producers of MCP-1 and IL-8 (CD3/MCP-1, CD3/IL-8) and contribute to the overall production of these chemokines during the neoplasia. Other infiltrating cells can produce vascular endothelial growth factor (CD3/VEGF, Mn/MΦ/VEGF) and contribute to angiogenesis facilitating the dysplasia progression. In situ production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-4 and TNF-α by cervical tissue during the cervical dysplasia can induce differentiation of monocytes/macrophages into dendritic cells, relevant cells against HPV infection, the main inducer of cervical dysplasia.