A Novel Detection Method of Breast Cancer through a Simple Panel of Biomarkers.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been identified as responsible for the spread of tumors to other organs of the body. In this sense, the development of sensitive and specific assays for their detection is important to reduce the number of deaths due to metastases. Here, we assessed whether the detection of CTCs in peripheral blood can serve in the construction of a panel of diagnosis and monitoring treatments of breast cancer (BC), focusing on the expression of markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Through analyzing the blood from women without breast alterations (control), women with benign alterations, women with breast cancer without chemotherapy, and women with breast cancer with chemotherapy, we identified the best markers by transcriptional levels and determined three profiles of CTCs (mesenchymal, intermediate, and epithelial) by flow cytometry which, combined, can be used for diagnosis and therapy monitoring with sensitivity and specificity between 80% and 100%. Therefore, we have developed a method for detecting breast cancer based on the analysis of CTC profiles by epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers which, combined, can be used for the diagnosis and monitoring of therapy.

Altered Leukocyte Sphingolipid Pathway in Breast Cancer.

Sphingolipid metabolism pathway is essential in membrane homeostasis, and its dysfunction has been associated with favorable tumor microenvironment, disease progression, and chemotherapy resistance. Its major components have key functions on survival and proliferation, with opposing effects. We have profiled the components of the sphingolipid pathway on leukocytes of breast cancer (BC) patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment and without, including the five sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptors, the major functional genes, and cytokines, in order to better understand the S1P signaling in the immune cells of these patients. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first characterization of the sphingolipid pathway in whole blood of BC patients. Skewed gene profiles favoring high SPHK1 expression toward S1P production during BC development was observed, which was reversed by chemotherapy treatment, and reached similar levels to those found in healthy donors. Such levels were also correlated with high levels of TNF-α. Our data revealed an important role of the sphingolipid pathway in immune cells in BC with skewed signaling of S1P receptors, which favored cancer development even under chemotherapy, and may probably be a trigger of cancer resistance. Thus, these molecules must be considered as a target pathway for combined BC therapeutics.

Influence of immunotherapy with autologous dendritic cells on innate and adaptive immune response in cancer.

The objective of this study was to evaluate some of the mechanisms involved in the activation of the immune system in patients with advanced-stage cancer (n = 7) who received an autologous dendritic cell vaccine. We examined the immune response mediated by macrophages (CD14+), natural killer cells (CD56+), and B lymphocytes (CD19+) by flow cytometry and assessed the expression of Th1 (IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, and IL-12), Th2 (IL-4), and Treg (TGF-ß) cytokines by flow cytometry and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The CD14+ TNF-α+ population was significantly increased (P < 0.04) when patients received the vaccine; IL-2 expression in both NK cells and in B lymphocytes was increased after a transient initial increase showed a nearly significant decrease (P < 0.07 and P < 0.06 respectively), whereas the CD19+ and CD56+ populations did not show significant changes. Dendritic cell-based immunotherapy led to increased secretion of IFN-γ and IL-12 and reduced secretion of TGF-ß. In conclusion, it is likely that the autologous dendritic cell vaccine stimulated the immune cells from the peripheral blood of patients with cancer and generally increased the production of Th1 cytokines, which are related to immunomodulatory responses against cancer.

The role of T lymphocytes in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy with autologous dendritic cells.

INTRODUCTION: Cancer stems from mutations in specific genes that induce uncontrolled cell proliferation. Dendritic cells (DCs) are important immunologic cells and play a crucial role in the induction of an antitumour response. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined the immune response mediated by T lymphocytes, helper T cells, cytotoxic T cells, and regulatory T cells, as well as the cytokines [interleukin (IL)-2, IL-12, interferon (IFN)-γ, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-10], produced by these cell populations, in cancer patients (N = 7) undergoing immunotheraphy with autologous DCs. RESULTS: We observed an initial increase in T helper cells (CD4+) expressing IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-12, TNF-α, and IL-10 after initiation of treatment, with statistically significant for the cytokines IL-2, TNF-α and IL-10. A similar significant effect was observed for IL-2-expressing cytotoxic T cells (CD8+). The percentage of total T cells (CD3+) remained elevated throughout immunotherapy. Regulatory T cells (CD25+/FOXP3+) only showed high percentage of their maximum value when analyzed the pretreatment levels, with statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Immunotherapy with DCs stimulated the immune response, as evidenced by an increase in percent fluorescence of most cell populations investigated during the specified treatment period.