High Abundance of Intratumoral γδ T Cells Favors a Better Prognosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Bioinformatic Analysis.

ABSTRACT: γδ T cells are a small subset of unconventional T cells that are enriched in the mucosal areas, and are responsible for pathogen clearance and maintaining integrity. However, the role of γδ T cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is largely unknown. Here, by using RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we discovered that HNSCC patients with higher levels of γδ T cells were positively associated with lower clinical stages and better overall survival, and high abundance of γδ T cells was positively correlated with CD8+/CD4+ T cell infiltration. Gene ontology and pathway analyses showed that genes associated with T cell activation, proliferation, effector functions, cytotoxicity, and chemokine production were enriched in the group with a higher γδ T cell abundance.

SUBMITTER: Lu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7555127 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature