Reassessment of CD62L as a marker of pre-effector T cells in the tumor draining lymph nodes of head and neck cancer patients

OBJECTIVES: CD62L was evaluated as a determinant of human pre-effector T cells. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Phenotype and cytokine secretion profiles of CD62L cells were determined based on activation status. RESULTS: CD62L _Low T cells demonstrated significantly higher secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ than did CD62L_High T cells. After activation, the majority of cells expressed high levels of the CD62L surface marker. Postactivation levels of IL-10 production remained elevated or unchanged. In a murine B16 melanoma model, freshly isolated CD62L_Low tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLN) T cells showed increased secretion of IL-2 and IL-4 but not of IL-10 or IFN-γ. The surface expression of CD62L and cytokine secretion patterns were maintained after activation with concomitant increases in IL-10. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that CD62L_Low T cells in TDLNs of progressively growing squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck differ phenotypically and functionally from those of mouse origin. SIGNIFICANCE: Characterization of this human CD62L_Low T cell population provides initial insight regarding novel surface markers in TDLN T cells that might correlate with antitumor reactivity.