Abstract
In previous studies we have shown down-regulation of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression in a significant proportion of primary cervical carcinomas, which was found to be strongly correlated with loss of expression of the transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP). By contrast, class II MHC expression was frequently up-regulated on neoplastic keratinocytes in these malignancies. In order to investigate whether these changes are associated with biological behaviour of the tumours, 20 cervical carcinomas were analyzed for MHC (HLA-A, HLA-B/C, HLA-DR) and TAP-1 expression in the primary tumours and in lymph node metastases by immunohistochemistry. The results showed a significant increase in the prevalence of HLA-A and HLA-B/C down-regulation in metastasised neoplastic cells as compared with the primary tumour (P = 0.01). In all cases this was accompanied by loss of TAP-1 expression. Up-regulated HLA-DR expression was found exclusively in primary tumours and was absent in the corresponding metastases (P = 0.002). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that loss of TAP-1 and the consequent down-regulation of class I MHC expression provides a selective advantage for neoplastic cervical cells during metastasis. Furthermore, the lack of class II MHC expression in metastasised cells either reflects a different local lymphokine production or indicates that these cells may have escaped CD4+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)-mediated killing.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cromme, F., van Bommel, P., Walboomers, J. et al. Differences in MHC and TAP-1 expression in cervical cancer lymph node metastases as compared with the primary tumours. Br J Cancer 69, 1176–1181 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.231
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1994.231
This article is cited by
-
Histone demethylase KDM5D upregulation drives sex differences in colon cancer
Nature (2023)
-
Classical and non-classical HLA class I aberrations in primary cervical squamous- and adenocarcinomas and paired lymph node metastases
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2016)
-
Suppression of the CD8 T cell response by human papillomavirus type 16 E7 occurs in Langerhans cell-depleted mice
Scientific Reports (2016)
-
Glucose-regulated protein 58 modulates β-catenin protein stability in a cervical adenocarcinoma cell line
BMC Cancer (2014)
-
Immunobiology of Merkel Cell Carcinoma: Implications for Immunotherapy of a Polyomavirus-Associated Cancer
Current Oncology Reports (2011)