R a-actin.* P,0.05 vs NM. Panel B: Real-time PCR analysis of ThPOK mRNA in NM, MA and CRC. *P,0,05 vs NM. Band intensity of ThPOK protein and ThPOK mRNA level for NM were arbitrarily set to 1. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054488.g(P,0.05 vs NM). In CRC there was a lower level of Licochalcone A web colocalization with CD4 (P,0.05 vs both NM and MA), the increased levels of double staining of ThPOK and CD8 was similar to MA, and the amount of ThPOK+/CD56+ cells was almost undetectable (Figure 4, panel D).difference was not significant in CRC samples, where the level of RUNX3-ThPOK-coexpressing CD8+ T cells and of RUNX3positive CD8+ T cells became equal (Figure 5, panel D and Figure 6).Discussion ThPOK and Treg LymphocytesWe performed cellular colocalization studies by triple immunofluorescence analysis coupled with confocal microscopy in order to look for a coexpression of ThPOK and Foxp3 in colorectal carcinogenesis. ThPOK did not colocalize with Foxp3 in all the specimens, but either shown a comparable expression profile. The IFIS levels of Foxp3 increased from NM (IFIS 23.563.2) to MA (IFIS 40.766.7) and CRC (IFIS 49.463.4) (Figure 5, panel A). Our study focused on colorectal carcinogenesis, and expecially on the very early stages of colorectal cancer progression, identified by dysplastic aberrant crypt foci, also referred to as microadenomas [30,36]. In this context we tried to define a possible regulator of the transformations making the immune system unable to control the development of colorectal cancer at the very early stages of onset. We analyzed helper T lymphocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and Eliglustat chemical information natural killer T cells, identified respectively by CD4, CD8 and CD56 markers in human normal colorectal mucosa, microadenomas and carcinomas, using immunofluorescence techniques and protein quantification analyses by Western blot. In microadenomas no significant change in CD4+ cells was observed with respect to normal mucosa. On the other hand, a significant decrease of these cells in carcinomas was observed. Moreover, we noted a gradual increase of CD8+ T cells, during tumour progression. Finally a strong decrease of CD56+ cells in 1655472 microadenomas was apparent, and this decrease was even more pronounced in carcinomas, where CD56+ cells were almost undetectable. We then analyzed ThPOK, a protein with a prominent role in the commitment of some leucocytic lineages, such as helper, cytotoxic and natural killer T cells, which have a pivotal role in defining the aggressiveness and prognosis of various types of cancer, including colorectal carcinomas [4,5]. ThPOK was observed to have an unexpected increase in preneoplasticThPOK and CD8+ Effector FunctionsWe subsequently analyzed the presence of effector markers, as GZMB or RUNX3, in CD8+ cells regarding to the ThPOK presence, by performing triple immunofluorescence staining. The coexpression of ThPOK and GZMB in CD8+ cells wass almost undetectable; ThPOK did not colocalize with GZMB, neither in NM, MA or CRC. The amount of GZMB decreased from NM (IFIS 59.669.1) to CRC (IFIS 26.663.7), in contrast to the increase of ThPOK since microadenomas (Figure 5, panel B). Also the levels of RUNX3 fluorescence decreased from NM (IFIS 59.669.6) to MA (IFIS 45.366.9) and to CRC (IFIS 20.8612.2) (Figure 5, panel C). In all the samples the levels of RUNX3-ThPOK-coexpressing CD8+ T cells were lower with respect to the levels of RUNX3 positive CD8+ T cells. This was more evident in MA, where there was a maximum level of RUNX3-positiv.R a-actin.* P,0.05 vs NM. Panel B: Real-time PCR analysis of ThPOK mRNA in NM, MA and CRC. *P,0,05 vs NM. Band intensity of ThPOK protein and ThPOK mRNA level for NM were arbitrarily set to 1. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054488.g(P,0.05 vs NM). In CRC there was a lower level of colocalization with CD4 (P,0.05 vs both NM and MA), the increased levels of double staining of ThPOK and CD8 was similar to MA, and the amount of ThPOK+/CD56+ cells was almost undetectable (Figure 4, panel D).difference was not significant in CRC samples, where the level of RUNX3-ThPOK-coexpressing CD8+ T cells and of RUNX3positive CD8+ T cells became equal (Figure 5, panel D and Figure 6).Discussion ThPOK and Treg LymphocytesWe performed cellular colocalization studies by triple immunofluorescence analysis coupled with confocal microscopy in order to look for a coexpression of ThPOK and Foxp3 in colorectal carcinogenesis. ThPOK did not colocalize with Foxp3 in all the specimens, but either shown a comparable expression profile. The IFIS levels of Foxp3 increased from NM (IFIS 23.563.2) to MA (IFIS 40.766.7) and CRC (IFIS 49.463.4) (Figure 5, panel A). Our study focused on colorectal carcinogenesis, and expecially on the very early stages of colorectal cancer progression, identified by dysplastic aberrant crypt foci, also referred to as microadenomas [30,36]. In this context we tried to define a possible regulator of the transformations making the immune system unable to control the development of colorectal cancer at the very early stages of onset. We analyzed helper T lymphocytes, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and natural killer T cells, identified respectively by CD4, CD8 and CD56 markers in human normal colorectal mucosa, microadenomas and carcinomas, using immunofluorescence techniques and protein quantification analyses by Western blot. In microadenomas no significant change in CD4+ cells was observed with respect to normal mucosa. On the other hand, a significant decrease of these cells in carcinomas was observed. Moreover, we noted a gradual increase of CD8+ T cells, during tumour progression. Finally a strong decrease of CD56+ cells in 1655472 microadenomas was apparent, and this decrease was even more pronounced in carcinomas, where CD56+ cells were almost undetectable. We then analyzed ThPOK, a protein with a prominent role in the commitment of some leucocytic lineages, such as helper, cytotoxic and natural killer T cells, which have a pivotal role in defining the aggressiveness and prognosis of various types of cancer, including colorectal carcinomas [4,5]. ThPOK was observed to have an unexpected increase in preneoplasticThPOK and CD8+ Effector FunctionsWe subsequently analyzed the presence of effector markers, as GZMB or RUNX3, in CD8+ cells regarding to the ThPOK presence, by performing triple immunofluorescence staining. The coexpression of ThPOK and GZMB in CD8+ cells wass almost undetectable; ThPOK did not colocalize with GZMB, neither in NM, MA or CRC. The amount of GZMB decreased from NM (IFIS 59.669.1) to CRC (IFIS 26.663.7), in contrast to the increase of ThPOK since microadenomas (Figure 5, panel B). Also the levels of RUNX3 fluorescence decreased from NM (IFIS 59.669.6) to MA (IFIS 45.366.9) and to CRC (IFIS 20.8612.2) (Figure 5, panel C). In all the samples the levels of RUNX3-ThPOK-coexpressing CD8+ T cells were lower with respect to the levels of RUNX3 positive CD8+ T cells. This was more evident in MA, where there was a maximum level of RUNX3-positiv.
