Functional expression of CD11a on CD8+ cells is suppressed in regional lymph nodes with cancer involvement in patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma

BACKGROUND To evaluate the immunologic activity of regional lymph nodes, the phenotype of lymphocytes and the functional expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) on lymph node lymphocytes (LNL−: uninvolved, LNL+: involved) were investigated in patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma. METHODS The lymphocyte subpopulation and the expression of CD11a, CD44, and CD29 on CD4+ and CD8+ cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), LNL−, and LNL+ derived from 37 patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma were studied. In addition, the adherence of CD8+ cells to ICAM-1 which reflects the adhesive function of CD11a, was examined, and changes in this adherence were studied by experimental coculture with cancer cells (DLD-1). RESULTS Although there were no differences in the overall proportion of T cells between the groups, CD8+ cells and CD16+ cells were considerably diminished in LNL+. The expression of CD11a and CD29 on CD4+ and CD8+ cells was significantly lower in LNL than in PBL, whereas the expression of CD44 showed no significant differences. The expression levels of these CAMs were almost the same in LNL− and LNL+. Only CD11a expression on CD8+ cells in LNL+ was significantly lower than that in LNL− (P < 0.005). The adherence of CD8+ cells in LNL+ to ICAM-1 was lower than that in PBL and LNL−, and was extremely enhanced by experimental coculture with cancer cells (DLD-1). CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the functional expression of CD11a (LFA-1) on CD8+ T cells is suppressed in cancer-involved regional lymph nodes in patients with gastrointestinal carcinoma. Cancer 1996;78:1677-85.