Count of T, NK and NKT cell population lung cancer patients in compared to healthy control before and after 72 hrs of culture with Con-A and IL-2
Flow cytometry analysis to note the count of the CD3, CD4, CD8, NK, NKT, NKCD4, and NKCD8 cell populations were conducted. Before culture, the count of all cell populations noted to be decreased in all groups of lung cancer patients when compared to healthy persons who show an increased count for cell populations Fig 1B.
However, after culture, the percentages of CD3, CD4, CD8, NK, NKT, NKCD4, and NKCD8 cells were shown to be increased slightly in all groups of lung cancer patients especially patients before induction of chemotherapy when compared with CTRL. On the other hand, the overall NK percentages were not significantly affected by culturing and exhibited minimal changes represented in a slight increase of their population in the group of patients before chemotherapy and a slight decrease in the groups of patients during and after chemotherapy. Meanwhile, the NKT subpopulation of cells also showed non-significant changes in all groups except the group of patients following treatment with chemotherapy, where it showed a marked reduction in its count after culturing was performed. As for the levels of NKCD4 cells, a notable increase was observed in both the groups of before and during chemotherapy, while decreasing in the patient group after chemotherapy. Finally, the NKCD8 cell population displayed a decrease in patients prior to the induction of chemotherapy as well as a marked decrease after induction of chemotherapy Fig 1C.