Background/aim: Spontaneous regression (SR) of tumours is a rare phenomenon not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate immune cells infiltrating progressive and SR tumours in a Lewis rat sarcoma model.
Materials and methods: Rats were subcutaneously inoculated with rat sarcoma R5-28 (clone C4) cells. Developing tumours were obtained on day 42 and cryosections were immunohistochemically processed for detection of immune cells.
Results: A high density of granulocytes was found in the necrotic areas of both progressive and SR tumours. CD4+ cells and CD8+ cells were rare and sparsely dispersed in the tumour tissue without clear difference between the two types of tumours. On the contrary, CD161+ cells were abundant and evenly distributed in SR tumours, but these cells were very rare in progressive tumours.
Conclusion: Based on the differences in number and distribution of the immune cell subpopulations, we believe that natural killer (CD161+) cells play a major role in the destruction of cancer cells during SR of tumours in this Lewis rat model.
Keywords: CD161; CD4; CD8; Tumour; immunohistochemistry; spontaneous regression.
Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.