Local CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ reactions to lung cancer in regard to pathohistological type and clinical stage

Aim To determinate the difference of abundance of CD4+, CD8+ and CD56+ bronchoalveolar luid’s lymphocytes and their subpopulations between non- and small cell lung cancer. Also, the differences of abundance of examined lymphocytes were compared between main clinical stages of lung cancer. Methods Mini-bronchoalveolar lavate was taken from lungs of 55 patients with cancer. After laboratory processing and adding CD3, CD4, CD8, CD27, CD28 and CD56 antibody, the material was analysed by low cytometer. Results of Mini-BAL for non- and small cell lung cancer were compared, as well as the different clinical stages of the disease. Results Immature and regulatory forms of lymphocytes are more activated, while mature and activated forms are less activated in small cell lung cancer compared to non small type. With an increase of the clinical stage of disease, immunological reaction of T lymphocytes is better expressed because of increasing of abundance of immature and regulatory forms of different subpopulations of lymphocytes.Conclusion All components of local CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte, as well as NK and NKT cells response were more activated in lungs with small cell lung cancer, and these reactions were more expressed with an increase in the clinical stage.