Prognostic significance of CD83 positive tumor-infiltrating dendritic cells and expression of TGF-beta 1 in human gastric cancer.

Background/aims: In this study we analyzed the significance of CD1a and CD83 positive tumor infiltrating dendritic cells (TIDCs) and the expression of TGF-β1 in gastric cancer tissue, and their relationship with disease progression and prognosis of patients.

Methodology: The immunohistochemical expression of CD1a, CD83 and TGF-β1, was evaluated in 55 patients with gastric cancer and followed-up for five years.

Results: We found tumor infiltration with CD1a and CD83 positive DCs in all 55 cases and cytoplasmic TGF-β1 immunoreactivity in tumor cells in 76.4% of cases. TGF-β1 expression correlated to low CD83 positive DCs in 100% of the samples (χ2=7.66; p=0.022). Low CD83 positive DCs in tumor border (χ2=15.38; p<0.001) was also observed in 100% of tumors with TGF-β1 expression. The number of CD1a and CD83 positive TIDCs in the tumor border was inversely correlated with positive lymph node metastases (χ2=6.64; p=0.036 and χ2=6.44; p<0.04, respectively). Patients with a low number of tumor infiltrating CD83 positive DCs had shorter survival rates (p=0.022) and patients with TGF-β1 expression had a worse prognosis after surgical therapy (p=0.017).

Conclusions: Our results suggest that tumor infiltration with DCs may be of great importance in initiating the primary anti-tumor immune response. In patients with resectable gastric cancer, the grade of TIDCs and TGF-β1 expression could be a useful predictor of prognosis.