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Decreased level of peripheral CD8⁺CD28⁺ T cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer

Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong 264000, PR China

^‡Authors contributed equally

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Tianyi Qian^‡

Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, PR China

Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, PR China

^‡Authors contributed equally

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Hengqiang Zhao^‡

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, PR China

^‡Authors contributed equally

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Zhen Zhang

Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100005, PR China

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, PR China

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Yue Ming

PET-CT Center, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, PR China

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Guangdong Qiao

Department of Breast Surgery, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong 264000, PR China

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Jiaqi Liu

*Author for correspondence:

E-mail Address: j.liu@cicams.ac.cn

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9775-2342

Beijing Key Laboratory for Genetic Research of Skeletal Deformity, Beijing 100730, PR China

Institute of Biomedical Big Data, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, PR China

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Published Online:21 Aug 2020https://doi.org/10.2217/fon-2020-0614

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Abstract

Background: Lymph node metastasis (LNM) is an independent risk factor for prognosis in patients with early breast cancer (EBC). Here we explored whether peripheral lymphocyte subtypes could be used as surrogate markers for LNM in patients with EBC. Materials & methods: The lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood were measured in 152 EBC patients and 43 patients with benign breast tumors. Results: The cytotoxic T cell count was significantly lower in patients with EBC than in patients with benign tumors (244.17 ± 105.83 vs 289.97 ± 121.72; p = 0.02), especially in patients with LNM (218.36 ± 86.21; p = 0.04). Conclusion: A decreased level of peripheral CD8⁺CD28⁺ T lymphocytes is associated with LNM in patients with EBC and could be used as a potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Keywords:

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Vol. 16, No. 32

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History

Received 14 June 2020

Accepted 3 August 2020

Published online 21 August 2020

Published in print November 2020

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Supplementary data

To view the supplementary data that accompany this paper please visit the journal website at: www.futuremedicine.com/doi/suppl/10.2217/fon-2020-0614

Author contributions

Y Li and J Liu conceived the study. Y Li performed the experiments. T Qian and H Zhao designed the computational framework and analyzed the data. Y Ming verified the analytical methods. J Liu supervised the findings of this work. All authors discussed the results and contributed to the final manuscript. Y Li, T Qian and H Zhao contributed equally to this study.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all the patients, nurses and physicians involved in the study for their participation. The authors would also like to extend special thanks to Qifeng Yang (Shandong University) and Xiang Wang (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences) for the help and guidance that they provided during this study.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This research was funded in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81802669 to J Liu) and the Science and Technology Innovation Development plan of Yantai City (no. 2020YD013 to Y Li). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors state that they have obtained appropriate institutional review board approval or have followed the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki for all human or animal experimental investigations. In addition, for investigations involving human subjects, informed consent has been obtained from the participants involved.

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Decreased level of peripheral CD8+CD28+ T cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer

Abstract

References

Decreased level of peripheral CD8⁺CD28⁺ T cells is associated with lymph node metastasis in patients with breast cancer