Changes of CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − regulatory T cells in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing surgery

•CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − tregs were Significantly higher in NSCLC than Controls.•CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − tregs increased with tumor stage and dropped significantly after operation.•Postoperative tregs in early stage was in the same level of controls while in advanced stage was higher than controls.

Little is known about the regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the peripheral blood after surgery of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In this study, we investigated whether CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − regulatory T cells are decreased in the peripheral blood of NSCLC patients undergoing surgery. The study group (n = 49) comprised NSCLC, and the control group (n = 24) consisted of age- and sex-matched nonmalignant diseases. The prevalence of CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − Tregs was analyzed using flow cytometry. The study group showed significantly higher percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − Tregs than control. The percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − Tregs increased with tumor stage. One way ANOVA test shows the significant differences between all subgroups. LSD test shows that there was a statistical significance between each of the two subgroups except stage II in CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + Tregs and control vs. each stage, stage I vs. stage III, and stage IV in CD8+CD28 − Tregs. There is no significant difference among stages II, III, and IV in CD8+CD28 − Tregs. No differences were found between squamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. These levels were dropped significantly after operation. Furthermore postoperative Treg percentage in the early stages (stage I and stage II) was not statistically different from that of controls. Postoperative Treg percentage in advanced stage (III + IV) remained above the values shown by controls. Our findings indicate that the percentage of CD4+CD25+FOXP3 + and CD8+CD28 − Tregs correlated with the pathological stage in NSCLC and tumor burden.