Hypersegmentation of neutrophil nuclei in peripheral blood of patients with localized and advanced cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx

Neutrophilic granulocytes have a wide spectrum of functional activity. In recent years, the functional significance of neutrophils in the development and course of malignant neoplasms has been discussed. It has been shown that neutrophilic granulocytes can play pro- or antitumor activity. The aim of the study was to assess the structural and functional features of neutrophils in patients with varying degrees of prevalence of cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx. Forty-one patients (aged 35-67) with newly diagnosed cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx were examined and divided into subgroups according to the TNM classification: the first subgroup (14 patients) with a localized tumor process consisted; and the second subgroup (27 patients) with a widespread tumor process. The relative and absolute number of neutrophils was assessed, and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was determined. The content of neutrophils with varying degrees of nuclear segmentation in the blood was calculated, the activity of myeloperoxidase, cationic proteins, alkaline phosphatase, and the degree of neutrophil activation in the NBT test was determined cytochemically. Concentration of interleukin-8 was determined using ELISA. In patients with cancer of the larynx and laryngopharynx the number of neutrophils (p = 0.045) and NLR (p = 0.033), as well as serum concentration of interleukin 8 (p = 0.011), increased compared to healthy individuals. The proportion of cells with hypersegmented nuclei in the neutrophil population (p < 0.001) and cytotoxic potential increased with the spread of tumor process. A direct correlation (r = 0.42, p = 0.03) was found between the T index, which reflects the volume of the tumor, and the content of hypersegmented neutrophils. It can be argued that such a simple and accessible laboratory parameter as the degree of segmentation of the nuclei of neutrophilic granulocytes can be used as one of the criteria to assess and predict the course of the tumor process

Неструктурная роль цитокератинов при злокачественных новообразованиях

Cytokeratins (CKs) are well studied as intermediate filaments of the cytoskeleton of epithelial cells, providing specific cell structure and morphology, in particular, apico-basal cell polarization. Meanwhile, a certain specificity of the association of CK with different types of epithelia is noted. CK heterogeneity  in the glandular epithelium is particularly pronounced and is associated with anatomical localization. The relative specificity of CKs in epithelium of different localization is preserved to a great extent in carcinomas originating from this epithelium as well. Due to this fact the determination of CK spectrum in tumor cells is quite an effective tool for nosological diagnostics of carcinomas. however, the function of CKs is not limited to providing the cell structure. The presence and amount of CK changes during the most important processes in normal and tumor cells: movement/invasion, apoptosis, proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity.A question arises: Is initiation of the above-listed processes happens first, and therefore CK changes are secondary and «passive», or in some processes CK changes can play a role of a trigger? Knowing the answer to this question is not only of fundamental importance, but is also important for finding ways to control the above processes by influencing the CKs.Цитокератины (ЦК) являются промежуточными филаментами цитоскелета эпителиальных клеток и обеспечивают специфическую  структуру и морфологию клеток, в частности апико-базальную поляризацию клеток. Отмечается определенная специфика ассоциации ЦК с разными типами эпителия. Гетерогенность ЦК, которая сопряжена с анатомической локализацией, особенно выражена в железистом эпителии. Относительная специфичность ЦК в эпителии разной локализации сохраняется в значительной степени и при его злокачественной трансформации. Благодаря этому определение спектра ЦК в опухолевых клетках является довольно эффективным инструментом нозологической диагностики карцином. Однако функция ЦК не исчерпывается обеспечением структуры клетки. Наличие/отсутствие ЦК и их количество обусловлены важнейшими процессами в нормальных и опухолевых клетках: движением/инвазией, апоптозом, пролиферацией, эпителиально-мезенхимальным переходом. Возникает вопрос: «Первична ли инициация перечисленных процессов, и тогда изменения ЦК вторичны и «пассивны», или в каких-то процессах изменения ЦК могут играть роль триггера?» Ответ на него не только имеет фундаментальное значение, но и важен для поиска способов управления указанными процессами путем воздействия на ЦК