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Increased Expression of CD40 Ligand on Activated T Cells of Patients with Colon Cancer¹

Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Gastroenterologie, Hepatologie und Endokrinologie, Charité, Campus Mitte der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10117 Berlin [C. B.]; Medizinische Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Hämatologie und Onkologie, Berlin, Charité, Campus Virchow-Klinikum der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 13353 Berlin [C. B., K. K., T. S., D. S., F. S.]; and Klinik Wartenberg, 85456 Wartenberg [F. S.], Germany

Purpose: Proper function of T lymphocytes is crucial for an effective destruction of cancer cells in vivo. Identifying the cell surface molecules on the T cells that may be involved in this antitumor response may help to elucidate immunological factors influencing the biology of human tumors.

Experimental Design: Differences in the antigen expression profile of unstimulated and stimulated peripheral blood T-lymphocytes from patients with colon cancer and from normal controls were determined using flow cytometry.

Results: Freshly isolated peripheral blood T cells of patients with colon cancer did not differ in their phenotype significantly from those of patients with nonmalignant diseases. In contrast, in vitro stimulated T cells of patients with colon cancer had a significantly increased expression of CD40 ligand (CD40L, CD154) compared with activated T cells of the control group; increased CD40L expression was also found in the CD4⁺- and CD8⁺-T-cell subpopulations.

Conclusions: The data presented support additional studies investigating the role of CD40L in the immune response against colon carcinoma.