Figure 1.
Surface markers and cytokine response of lymphoid peripheral immune cell populations associated with breast cancer occurrence and/or progression. In the lymphoid lineage, T cells and NK cells acquire a stronger suppressive phenotype in breast cancer patients including diminished response to, and production of, pro-inflammatory cytokines, higher susceptibility to apoptosis and impaired cytotoxic response—although the latter may be reversed upon exposure to tumor-associated antigens (T cells, via binding of HER2 to the TCR) or anti-HER2 therapeutic antibodies (NK cells, via binding of trastuzumab to CD16). B cells were also found to respond to chemotherapy regimens by reducing the Breg population, thus promoting anti-tumor immune function. NK, natural killer cells; TAA, tumor-associated antigen; TCR, T cell receptor.