Expression of HLA-DR antigen in lung cancer

Objective 　To investigate the expression of HLA-DR antigen in lung cancer and the relationship with histologic types and lymphocyte infiltration around tumor cells. Methods 　Cancer tissues from 56 patients with lung cancer were examined immunohistochemically , while the expression of HLA-DR antigen induced by recombinant IFN-gamma in two cells lines of lung cancer was examined with flowcytometry. Results 　Twenty two cases of adenocarcinoma (22/ 29 ,76 %) and two cases of squamous cell carcinoma (2/ 24 , 8 %) were positive for the HLA-DR antigen , and no positive expression showed in 3 cases of small cell carcinoma. The positive expression rate in adenocarcinoma was significantly higher than that in squamous cell carcinoma ( P < 0. 05) . Marked lymphocyte infiltration was seen around the tumor cells in HLA-DR antigen positive patients. In vitro , IFN-gamma could stimulate HLA-DR antigen expression in two lung cancer cell lines , which was dose-dependent. Conclusion 　The expression of HLA-DR antigen in lung cancer is correlated with histologic types and lymphocyte infiltration around the cancer cells , and may influence the host immune response to tumor. DOI: 10.3779/j.issn.1009-3419.2000.01.14