The CD16A and CD16B mRNA level as potential immunological marker in colorectal cancer

The purpose of this study is to evaluate mRNA levels of genes encoding CD16A (FCGR3A) and CD16B (FCGR3B) in peripheral blood and tumors of colorectal cancer patients (CRC).

Materials and methods. The study included 66 CRC patients from Nizhny Novgorod Regional Clinical Oncology Center and 111 people without cancer as a comparison group from Nizhny Novgorod Regional Blood Center named after N.Ya. Klimova. The mRNA relative levels in peripheral blood and tumor was detected by reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA levels correlation and association with CRC clinical characteristics were assessed by statistic methods.

Results. The study suggests that in the peripheral blood of CRC patients the levels of mRNA FCGR3A and FCGR3B were statistically significantly lower than in healthy individuals. The mRNA levels remained low at 7–10 days after surgery. The FCGR3A mRNA normalized level in the blood and tumors of CRC patients, as well as in the blood of healthy individuals, was several times higher than the FCGR3B mRNA level. At the II stage of tumor development in CRC patients, the FCGR3A and FCGR3B mRNA levels were statistically significantly decreased, but as the tumor progressed is normalized. Moderate degree of tumor differentiation was also characterized by a drop in mRNA levels of the tested genes. Reduced FCGR3A and FCGR3B mRNA levels in the blood of patients were observed in the absence of metastases. In tumor samples, FCGR3A mRNA was tested in 95.5% of cases, FCGR3B mRNA in 68.2% of cases. Progression of CRC was accompanied by an increase in FCGR3A mRNA level in tumors, the FCGR3B mRNA level did not change. Positive correlation of FCGR3A mRNA level with TNF and FOXP3 mRNA levels was found, which indicates the possible involvement of FCGR3A in the regulation of chronic inflammation in tumors of CRC patients.

Conclusion. Changes in mRNA levels of genes encoding CD16A (FCGR3A) and CD16B (FCGR3A) molecules were detected in blood and tumor samples. The results indicate the potential for their use as monitoring immunological markers in CRC.

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