Can Implants Induce Protective Immune Responses Against Breast Cancer Antigens?: An Analysis of Tissue and Capsule T-Cell Interactions
Women with cosmetic breast implants have lower rates of breast cancer. Previously, it has been shown that Th17 cells are elevated in implant capsule.1 Th17 cells can also play a role in anti-tumor immunity.2 Here we present gene data from breast and capsule tissue to assess the presence of Th17 cells involved in immunosurveillance against breast cancer.
Breast tissue was collected from 30 healthy women with previous long term implants at the time of revision surgery. Capsule tissue was also collected from 24 patients in this cohort. The average time to the revision surgery was 14 years. Gene expression of Th17 genes was tested with qRT-PCR. Comparison between the capsule and breast tissue was done with unpaired t-test using Graphpad Prism v9.1.2.
Results/Complications:
Expression levels of Th17-associated genes was similar between peri-implant breast tissue and capsule tissue. Fold change for capsule to breast tissue for Th17-associated genes was 1.03x for IL17A (p=0.8965), 1.20x for RORĪ³t (p=0.431), 1.20x for IL22 (p=0.5068), and 1.14x for BATF (p=0.5949). Similarly, gene expression levels for Th1-, Treg-, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-, and plasma cell-associated genes were likewise similar between breast and capsule tissue. Fold change for capsule to breast tissue for these associated genes was 1.35x for IFNG (Th1, p=0.3567), 1.28x for FOXP3 (Treg, p=0.2129), 0.853x for CD8A (cytotoxic T lymphocytes, p=0. 562), and 1.01x for CD138 (plasma cells, p=0.958). Th2-associated gene levels were decreased in capsule relative to breast tissue (0.29x for GATA3, p=0.029). Apolipoprotein D (a protein highly expressed in breast tissue) was appropriately elevated in breast relative to capsule tissue (3.91x, p=0.0005)
Conclusion:
Th17 cells are a part of the foreign body response to implants. The induced immune landscape elicited by implants extends into the breast parenchyma. This suggests that peri-implant inflammation may play a role in local immunosurveillance in the breast.
[1] Wolfram, D et al. T regulatory cells and TH17 cells in peri-silicone implant capsular fibrosis. Plast Reconstr Sur. 2012. 129(2):327e-337e.
[2] Yang L, Qi Y, Hu J, Tang L, Zhao S, Shan B. Expression of Th17 cells in breast cancer tissue and its association with clinical parameters. Cell Biochem Biophys. 2012 Jan;62(1):153-9. doi: 10.1007/s12013-011-9276-3. PMID: 22081436.