Expression of cellular immunity during experimental carcinogenesis in the rat tongue

Abstract

We examined flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining specimens in order to investigate the relationship between cellular immunity and the process of carcinogenesis. The appearance of CD4 positive (CD4^+) and CD8 positive (CD8^+) cells increased in peripheral blood and tongue intraepithelial lymphocytes four weeks after administration of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). Histological changes of hyperplasia and dysplasia increased CD4 cells significantly, compared with normal peripheral blood and and tongue intraepithelial lymphocytes. In histological changes of dysplasia and carcinoma, the appearance of CD8^+ cells increased significantly compared with peripheral blood and tongue intraepithelial lymphocytes in the normal comrol group. Compared with normal cells, NKR-P 1 A positive and CD3 positive (NKT^+ like cells) cells were increased significantly in the peripheral blood and tongue intraepithelial lymphocytes when there was cancer. The expression of cellular immunity corresponded to histological changes during the development of carcinogenesis. These findings suggest that the development of 4NQO -induced carcinogenesis used in this study may mediate cellular immunity. We believe that changes in cellular immunity during carcinogenesis are accomplished by cell suppression factors such as the carcinogenesis factor.