Cell surface markers for T and B lymphocytes activation and adhesion as putative prognostic biomarkers for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

The study population comprised HNSCC patients, risk-positive controls (tabagism and alcoholism habits), and risk-negative controls (without risk factors). Significant increases in the activation status of CD4+and CD8+ T-cells, and higher migration potentials of lymphocytes were observed in HNSCC patients compared with control groups. Although decreased frequency of CD19+-B lymphocytes was observed in HSNCC patients, a higher percentage of HLA-DR+CD19+-B lymphocytes was detected in these individuals as compared with other evaluated groups. Metastasis and tumor grading were the major pathological parameters associated with significant alterations in the expression of activation molecules on circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. A reduced frequency of CD38-expressing CD8+ T-cells was the most relevant biomarker associated with HNSCC aggressiveness. Performance analysis suggested a cut-off point for the CD8+CD38+/CD8+ T-cell ratio of 7.0 for segregating patients according to tumor grading. In contrast, a higher proportion of CD8+CD54+/CD8+ T-cells could represent a relevant biomarker associated with metastasis in HNSCC patients, and performance analysis suggested a cut-off point for the CD8+CD54+/CD8+ T-cell ratio of 30 for segregating patients according to absence or presence of metastasis. The results obtained can increment immunological aspects of HNSCC and provide tools for the determination of cut-off scores of clinically relevant immunophenotypic prognostic biomarkers.