Expression of immune response genes in uterine cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is a papillomavirus-associated disease in which the immune response is believed to influence the clinical course. In this study we investigated, in cervical cancer and normal adjacent tissue, FasL, Fas, granzyme B (GrB), serine protease inhibitor PI-9 and RNA polymerase 11 subunit K (POLR2K) mRNA levels, by RT-PCR, and the expression of proliferation-related. marker p27, by immunohistochemistry. GrB and POLR2K mRNA levels were significantly higher in cancer than in normal tissue, a tendency to higher expression was observed for PI-9, while Fas and FasL expression did not show any difference. Fas, FasL, GrB, PI-9 and POLR2K expression levels showed a positive correlation in samples with and without cancer. GrB mRNA levels tended to be higher in cancer samples from patients with persistence of the disease after treatment than in patients with no persistence. These results suggest that, although activated, the cytotoxic T cells do not necessarily play a protective role against cervical cancer development.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Immunogenet, Pediat Dept, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Div Immunogenet, Pediat Dept, Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc