Dysfunction of natural killer cells in patients with transitional cell carcinoma

Lin, Chang-Te; Yu, Min-Tsung; Li, Chin; Ho, Yun-Che; Shen, Cheng-Huang; Liu, Dai-Wei; Chang, De-Ching; Wu, Shu-Fen

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2009.09.019

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Volume 291, Issue 1 , Pages 39-45, 1 May 2010

Dysfunction of natural killer cells in patients with transitional cell carcinoma

Chang-Te Lin
- Department of Urology, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
- These two authors contributed equally to this work.
Min-Tsung Yu
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
- These two authors contributed equally to this work.
Chin Li
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
Yun-Che Ho
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
Cheng-Huang Shen
- Department of Urology, Chia-Yi Christian Hospital, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
Dai-Wei Liu
- Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
De-Ching Chang
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
Shu-Fen Wu
- Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
- Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Cheng University, Chia-Yi, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Address: 168 University Rd., Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 62102, Taiwan, ROC. Tel.: +886 5 2720411 66509; fax: +886 5 2722871.

Received 4 August 2009; received in revised form 23 September 2009; accepted 28 September 2009. published online 23 November 2009.

Abstract

Previous studies had established that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is highly expressed in bladder tumor, facilitating progression and spreading of the cancerous cells. Here, we report that both the number and the cytotoxic function of natural killer (NK) cells are decreased in patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). In consistent with previously reported findings, the plasma TGF-β1 concentration is also elevated in patients with superficial TCC. In vitro, the cytotoxic function of NK cells was impaired by the presence of TGF-β1. Hence, our data suggested elevated concentration of serum TGF-β1 in loss of NK cytotoxicity in superficial TCC patients, implicating altered innate immunity may correlate with the incidence of TCC.

Keywords: Natural killer cell, Transitional cell carcinoma, Transforming growth factor-β, Interferon-γ, Innate immunity