Different T-cell receptor (TCR) zeta chain expression in cervical cancer and its precursor lesions.

Objective: Cervical cancer is associated with infection of epithelial cells with the human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and HPV18. A functional signalling machinery in T-cells is required in order to successfully fight and eradicate HPV16+ transformed epithelial cells. One of the key signalling molecules associated with the T-cell receptor (TCR) is the homodimeric zeta chain molecule.

Material and methods: 28 formalin fixed und paraffin embedded samples of cervical tissue with cervical intraepithelial lesions CIN I (n = 3), CIN III (n = 7), invasive cervical carcinoma (CC) (n = 13) and normal cervical tissue (n = 5) has been evaluated for HPV-PCR und zeta chain immunohistochemistry. For immunohistochemistry a monoclonal IgG1 anti TZR zeta chain-antibody (mAb) has been used (clone 6B 10.2, Santa Cruz, Heidelberg, Germany). According to the performed Western-Blot analysis on peripheral blood monocytes (PBMCs) the used mAb has specifically recognized TCR zeta chains.

Results: We show reduced protein zeta chain expression associated with invasive cervical cancer, but not with pre-invasive HPV16-positive lesions or HPV16-negative normal cervix tissue.

Conclusions: Thus, reduced TCR zeta chain expression is not necessarily linked to a chronic viral infection, nor to the presence of transformed cells, but rather to the stromal invasion of the cancer lesion.