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Wei YF, Chu CY, Chang CC, Lin SH, Su WC, Tseng YL, Lin CC, Yen YT. Different pattern of PD-L1, IDO, and FOXP3 Tregs expression with survival in thymoma and thymic carcinoma. Lung Cancer 2018; 125:35-42. [PMID: 30429036 DOI: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2018.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The expression of immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1 has been reported in various tumors. The expression of IDO and FOXP3 Tregs are considered to be associated with tumor-induced tolerance and poor outcome. Their prognostic role in surgically treated thymoma and thymic carcinoma, however, has not been investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Tissue microarray (TMA) blocks comprised of 100 surgically treated thymomas and 69 surgically treated thymic carcinomas were conducted. Tissue sections were incubated with primary antibodies against PD-L1 (clone E1L3N, 1:100), IDO (clone 10.1, 1:50), and FOXP3 (clone 236 A/E7, 1:50). Comparisons for categorical variables were performed using χ2 test and Fisher's exact test. Survival analysis was established using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression model. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS High expression of PD-L1, IDO, and FOXP3 Tregs were identified in 36 (36%), 13 (13%), and 16 (16%) thymoma patients, respectively. High expression of PD-L1, IDO, and FOXP3 Tregs was associated with higher grade of tumor histology (P < 0.001, P = 0.007, and 0.014, respectively). High expression of PD-L1 was also associated with advanced Masaoka staging (P < 0.001). In patients with thymic carcinoma, high expression of PD-L1, IDO, and FOXP3 Tregs were identified in 25 (36%), 10 (14%), and 20 (29%) patients, respectively. Complete resection, low expression of IDO, and high expression of FOXP3 Tregs were associated with better overall survival (P = 0.001, 0.004, and 0.032, respectively), and progression-free survival (P < 0.001, P = 0.026, and 0.047, respectively) in multivariate analysis. In surgically treated thymoma, high PD-L1 expression was associated with advanced Masaoka staging. High PD-L1, IDO, and FOXP3 Tregs expression was associated with high grade histology. In surgically treated thymic carcinoma, significant survival benefit was noted in patients with complete resection, low IDO expression, and high FOXP3 Tregs expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Feng Wei
- Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chang-Yao Chu
- Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Pathology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chun Chang
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Hsiang Lin
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Chou Su
- Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yau-Lin Tseng
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chung Lin
- Division of Chest Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ting Yen
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
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Almanan M, Raynor J, Sholl A, Wang M, Chougnet C, Cardin RD, Hildeman DA. Tissue-specific control of latent CMV reactivation by regulatory T cells. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006507. [PMID: 28796839 PMCID: PMC5552023 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes a persistent, lifelong infection. CMV persists in a latent state and undergoes intermittent subclinical viral reactivation that is quelled by ongoing T cell responses. While T cells are critical to maintain control of infection, the immunological factors that promote CMV persistence remain unclear. Here, we investigated the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in a mouse model of latent CMV infection using Foxp3-diphtheria toxin receptor (Foxp3-DTR) mice. Eight months after infection, MCMV had established latency in the spleen, salivary gland, lung, and pancreas, which was accompanied by an increased frequency of Treg. Administration of diphtheria toxin (DT) after establishment of latency efficiently depleted Treg and drove a significant increase in the numbers of functional MCMV-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Strikingly, Treg depletion decreased the number of animals with reactivatable latent MCMV in the spleen. Unexpectedly, in the same animals, ablation of Treg drove a significant increase in viral reactivation in the salivary gland that was accompanied with augmented local IL-10 production by Foxp3-CD4+T cells. Further, neutralization of IL-10 after Treg depletion significantly decreased viral load in the salivary gland. Combined, these data show that Treg have divergent control of MCMV infection depending upon the tissue. In the spleen, Treg antagonize CD8+ effector function and promote viral persistence while in the salivary gland Treg prevent IL-10 production and limit viral reactivation and replication. These data provide new insights into the organ-specific roles of Treg in controlling the reactivation of latent MCMV infection. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in both mice and humans is normally initially contained by a vigorous adaptive immune response that drives the virus into latency in multiple tissues. However, the immunologic mechanisms that control latency are not well understood. In this report, we have examined the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in a mouse model of CMV infection. Interestingly, depletion of regulatory T cells had profound consequences on MCMV latent infection, depending upon the tissue. In the spleen, Treg depletion enhanced CD8+ T cell responses and reduced reactivatable latent infection from the spleen. In striking contrast, in the salivary gland, Treg depletion enhanced the production of IL-10 from CD4+ T cells as well as viral reactivation. Thus, Treg play divergent and tissue specific roles in controlling MCMV reactivation from latency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha Almanan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Jana Raynor
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Allyson Sholl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Mei Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Claire Chougnet
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
| | - Rhonda D Cardin
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America
| | - David A Hildeman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Immunobiology, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States of America
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Takahashi R, Nakatsukasa H, Shiozawa S, Yoshimura A. SOCS1 Is a Key Molecule That Prevents Regulatory T Cell Plasticity under Inflammatory Conditions. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2017; 199:149-158. [PMID: 28550203 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
We previously showed that regulatory T cells (Tregs) from T cell-specific Socs1-deficient mice (Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice) easily convert into Th1- or Th17-like cells (ex-Tregs), which lose Foxp3 expression and suppressive functions in vivo. Because Tregs in Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice are constantly exposed to a large amount of inflammatory cytokines produced by non-Tregs in vivo, in this study we analyzed Treg-specific Socs1-deficient mice (Socs1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre mice). These mice developed dermatitis, splenomegaly, and lymphadenopathy that were much milder than those in Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice. A fate mapping study revealed that Socs1 deficiency accelerated the conversion of Tregs to Foxp3-IFN-γ+ ex-Tregs in the tumor microenvironment and suppressed tumor growth. When transferred into Rag2-/- mice, Tregs from Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice easily lost Foxp3 expression, whereas those from Socs1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre mice maintained Foxp3 expression. Although Tregs from Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice produced IFN-γ after a 3-d culture in response to anti-CD3/CD28 Ab stimulation in vitro, Tregs from Socs1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre mice did not. This finding suggested that the inflammatory conditions in Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice modified the born nature of Socs1-deficient Tregs. To investigate this mechanism, Tregs from Socs1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre mice were cultured with APCs from Socs1fl/flLck-Cre+ mice. These APCs facilitated STAT4 phosphorylation, IFN-γ production, and loss of Foxp3 expression in Tregs from Socs1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre mice in an IL-12-dependent manner. The results indicate that Socs1-deficient Tregs tend to convert into ex-Tregs under the inflammatory conditions in which APCs are highly activated, and that SOCS1 could be a useful target for enhancement of anti-tumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reiko Takahashi
- Department of Immunology, Research Institute, Nozaki Tokushukai, Daitou, Osaka 574-0074, Japan; .,Rheumatic Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu 874-0838, Japan; and.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Hiroko Nakatsukasa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Shunichi Shiozawa
- Rheumatic Disease Unit, Department of Medicine, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu 874-0838, Japan; and
| | - Akihiko Yoshimura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
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Akhmetzyanova I, Zelinskyy G, Littwitz-Salomon E, Malyshkina A, Dietze KK, Streeck H, Brandau S, Dittmer U. CD137 Agonist Therapy Can Reprogram Regulatory T Cells into Cytotoxic CD4+T Cells with Antitumor Activity. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015; 196:484-92. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1403039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Elkord E, Abd Al Samid M, Chaudhary B. Helios, and not FoxP3, is the marker of activated Tregs expressing GARP/LAP. Oncotarget 2015; 6:20026-36. [PMID: 26343373 PMCID: PMC4652984 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.4771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key players of immune regulation/dysregulation both in physiological and pathophysiological settings. Despite significant advances in understanding Treg function, there is still a pressing need to define reliable and specific markers that can distinguish different Treg subpopulations. Herein we show for the first time that markers of activated Tregs [latency associated peptide (LAP) and glycoprotein A repetitions predominant (GARP, or LRRC32)] are expressed on CD4+FoxP3- T cells expressing Helios (FoxP3-Helios+) in the steady state. Following TCR activation, GARP/LAP are up-regulated on CD4+Helios+ T cells regardless of FoxP3 expression (FoxP3+/-Helios+). We show that CD4+GARP+/-LAP+ Tregs make IL-10 immunosuppressive cytokine but not IFN-γ effector cytokine. Further characterization of FoxP3/Helios subpopulations showed that FoxP3+Helios+ Tregs proliferate in vitro significantly less than FoxP3+Helios- Tregs upon TCR stimulation. Unlike FoxP3+Helios- Tregs, FoxP3+Helios+ Tregs secrete IL-10 but not IFN-γ or IL-2, confirming they are bona fide Tregs with immunosuppressive characteristics. Taken together, Helios, and not FoxP3, is the marker of activated Tregs expressing GARP/LAP, and FoxP3+Helios+ Tregs have more suppressive characteristics, compared with FoxP3+Helios- Tregs. Our work implies that therapeutic modalities for treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, allergies and graft rejection should be designed to induce and/or expand FoxP3+Helios+ Tregs, while therapies against cancers or infectious diseases should avoid such expansion/induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyad Elkord
- College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Institutes of Cancer, Inflammation & Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - May Abd Al Samid
- College of Medicine & Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Belal Chaudhary
- Biomedical Research Centre, School of Environment & Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, United Kingdom
- University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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de Aquino MTP, Malhotra A, Mishra MK, Shanker A. Challenges and future perspectives of T cell immunotherapy in cancer. Immunol Lett 2015; 166:117-33. [PMID: 26096822 PMCID: PMC4499494 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2015.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2015] [Revised: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Since the formulation of the tumour immunosurveillance theory, considerable focus has been on enhancing the effectiveness of host antitumour immunity, particularly with respect to T cells. A cancer evades or alters the host immune response by various ways to ensure its development and survival. These include modifications of the immune cell metabolism and T cell signalling. An inhibitory cytokine milieu in the tumour microenvironment also leads to immune suppression and tumour progression within a host. This review traces the development in the field and attempts to summarize the hurdles that the approach of adoptive T cell immunotherapy against cancer faces, and discusses the conditions that must be improved to allow effective eradication of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa P de Aquino
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Anshu Malhotra
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
| | - Manoj K Mishra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL 36101, USA
| | - Anil Shanker
- Department of Biochemistry and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College, Nashville, TN 37208, USA; Tumor-Host Interactions Research Program, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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7
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Martin M, Kesselring RK, Saidou B, Brunner SM, Schiechl G, Mouris VF, Wege AK, Rümmele P, Schlitt HJ, Geissler EK, Fichtner-Feigl S. RORγt(+) hematopoietic cells are necessary for tumor cell proliferation during colitis-associated tumorigenesis in mice. Eur J Immunol 2015; 45:1667-79. [PMID: 25820779 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201444915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 02/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumor entities. In patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, the development of colitis-associated colon cancer is considered a dangerous long-term complication. IL-17A and the transcription factor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) play fundamental roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases; in human studies, we detected a dense infiltration of RORγt-dependent CD4(+) IL17A(+) T helper (Th)17 cells in specimens of CRC, ulcerative colitis, and ulcerative colitis-associated colorectal cancer. However, the mechanistic role of RORγt(+) hematopoietic cells in colitis-associated tumorigenesis remains unclear. To investigate colitis-associated colon tumorigenesis, we conducted studies in the AOM+DSS mouse model that revealed the importance of RORγt for colon tumor progression. In the absence of RORγt-dependent Th17 lymphocytes, mice showed signs of intense chronic colitis, but developed significantly fewer macroscopic tumor nodules. The reduction of tumor development in RORγt(-/-) mice was not due to reduced colon tumor initiation. However, the proliferation rate of tumor cells was reduced in the absence of RORγt-dependent Th17 cells and tumor cells showed pronounced signs of senescence-associated epigenetic and lysosomal changes. These results indicate an important role for the immunological milieu in colitis-associated cancer, which is shaped in-part by RORγt-dependent Th17 lymphocytes that support CRC growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Martin
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Balam Saidou
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan M Brunner
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gabriela Schiechl
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Verena F Mouris
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Anja K Wege
- Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Petra Rümmele
- Department of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Hans J Schlitt
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Edward K Geissler
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Fichtner-Feigl
- Department of Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.,Regensburg Center of Interventional Immunology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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8
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Clinical Impact of Regulatory T cells (Treg) in Cancer and HIV. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT 2014; 8:201-7. [PMID: 25385463 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-014-0159-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The role of regulatory T cells, (Treg) in human cancer and HIV-1 infections has been under intense scrutiny. While the lack of a marker specific for human Treg has made it challenging to phenotype these cells, combinations of several markers and functional attributes of Treg have made it possible to assess their contributions to immune homeostasis in health and disease. Treg diversity and their plasticity create a challenge in deciding whether they are beneficial to the host by down-regulating excessive immune activation or are responsible for adverse effects such as suppression of anti-tumor immune responses resulting in promotion of tumor growth. Treg are emerging as active participants in several biochemical pathways involved in immune regulation. This review attempts to integrate current information about human Treg in respect to their activities in cancer and HIV-1. The goal is to evaluate the potential of Treg as targets for future immune or pharmacologic therapies for cancer or HIV-1 infections.
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Chevalier N, Thorburn AN, Macia L, Tan J, Juglair L, Yagita H, Yu D, Hansbro PM, Mackay CR. Inflammation and lymphopenia trigger autoimmunity by suppression of IL-2-controlled regulatory T cell and increase of IL-21-mediated effector T cell expansion. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:4845-58. [PMID: 25339665 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The dynamic interplay between regulatory T cells (T(regs)) and effector T cells (T(effs)) governs the balance between tolerance and effector immune responses. Perturbations of T(reg) frequency and function or imbalances in T(reg)/T(eff) levels are associated with the development of autoimmunity. The factors that mediate these changes remain poorly understood and were investigated in this study in murine autoimmune arthritis. T(regs) displayed a stable phenotype in arthritic mice and were fully functional in in vitro suppression assays. However, their expansion was delayed relative to T(effs) (T follicular helper cells and Th17 cells) during the early stages of autoimmune reactivity. This imbalance is likely to have led to insufficient T(reg) control of T(effs) and induced autoimmunity. Moreover, a counterregulatory and probably IL-7-driven increase in thymic T(reg) production and recruitment to inflamed tissues was too slow for disease prevention. Increased T(eff) over T(reg) expansion was further aggravated by inflammation and lymphopenia. Both these conditions contribute to autoimmune pathogenesis and were accompanied by decreases in the availability of IL-2 and increases in levels of IL-21. IL-2 neutralization or supplementation was used to show that T(reg) expansion mainly depended on this cytokine. IL-21R(-/-) cells were used to demonstrate that IL-21 promoted the maintenance of T(effs). Thus, at inflammatory sites in experimental arthritis, a deficit in IL-2 hampers T(reg) proliferation, whereas exaggerated IL-21 levels overwhelm T(reg) control by supporting T(eff) expansion. This identifies IL-2 and IL-21 as targets for manipulation in therapies for autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Chevalier
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Centre Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany; Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia; Immunology Department, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, New South Wales 2010, Australia;
| | - Alison N Thorburn
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
| | - Laurence Macia
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
| | - Jian Tan
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
| | - Laurent Juglair
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
| | - Hideo Yagita
- Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 113-8421 Tokyo, Japan; and
| | - Di Yu
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
| | - Philip M Hansbro
- Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Diseases, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales 2300, Australia
| | - Charles R Mackay
- Center for Immunology and Inflammation, Monash University Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria 3088, Australia
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Whiteside TL. Induced regulatory T cells in inhibitory microenvironments created by cancer. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2014; 14:1411-25. [PMID: 24934899 DOI: 10.1517/14712598.2014.927432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Regulatory T cells (Tregs) accumulating in the peripheral circulation and tumor sites of patients contribute to tumor escape from the host immune system. Tregs encompass subsets of immune cells with distinct phenotypic and functional properties. Whereas natural (n) or thymic-derived (t) Tregs regulate responses to self-antigens, inducible (i) or peripheral (p) Tregs generated and expanded in regulatory microenvironments control immune responses to a broad variety of antigens. AREAS COVERED Tregs accumulating in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are contextually regulated. They acquire phenotypic and functional attributes imposed by the inhibitory molecular pathways operating in situ. Several molecular pathways active in human cancer are reviewed. The pathways may differ from one tumor to another, and environmentally induced Tregs may be functionally distinct. Potential therapeutic strategies for selective silencing of iTregs are considered in the light of the newly acquired understanding of their phenotypic and functional diversity. EXPERT OPINION Human Tregs accumulating in cancer comprise 'bad' subsets, which inhibit antitumor immunity, and 'good' anti-inflammatory subsets, which maintain tolerance to self and benefit the host. Future therapeutic strategies targeting Tregs will need to discriminate between these Treg subsets and will need to consider reprogramming strategies instead of Treg elimination. Re-establishment of effective antitumor immune responses in cancer patients without disturbing a normal homeostatic T-cell balance will greatly benefit from insights into inhibitory pathways engaged by human tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa L Whiteside
- University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute , 5117 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 , USA +1 412 624 0096 ; +1 412 624 0264 ;
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Du R, Zhao H, Yan F, Li H. IL-17+Foxp3+ T cells: an intermediate differentiation stage between Th17 cells and regulatory T cells. J Leukoc Biol 2014; 96:39-48. [PMID: 24744433 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.1ru0114-010rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Foxp3(+) Tregs have been known as a major regulator of immune homeostasis through their immunosuppressive function. Th17 lineage is a CD4(+) T cell subset that exerts its function by secreting proinflammatory cytokines and protecting host against microbial infections. The altered ratio between Foxp3(+) Tregs and Th17 cells plays an important role in the pathogenesis of immune-related diseases. Recent mice and human studies have demonstrated that Tregs can be reprogrammed into a novel population, IL-17(+)Foxp3(+) T cells, phenotypically and functionally resembling Th17 cells under the complicated cytokine stimulation. The identification of IL-17(+)Foxp3(+) T cells may provide a new understanding of therapy targeting Tregs and Th17 cells in autoimmune diseases and cancer. Here, we highlight significant data regarding the phenotype profile, origination, differentiation, and the pleiotropic functions of IL-17(+)Foxp3(+) T cells and the reciprocal relationships of these cells to Tregs and Th17 cells. Furthermore, the role of IL-17(+)Foxp3(+) T cells in tumorigenesis and clinical implications in cancer therapy are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijuan Du
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Hua Zhao
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Fan Yan
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, China
| | - Hui Li
- Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Key Laboratory of Cancer Immunology and Biotherapy, Tianjin, China
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Chaudhary B, Abd Al Samid M, al-Ramadi BK, Elkord E. Phenotypic alterations, clinical impact and therapeutic potential of regulatory T cells in cancer. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2014; 14:931-45. [DOI: 10.1517/14712598.2014.900539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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13
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Mandapathil M, Visus C, Finn OJ, Lang S, Whiteside TL. Generation and immunosuppressive functions of p53-induced human adaptive regulatory T cells. Oncoimmunology 2013; 2:e25514. [PMID: 24073385 PMCID: PMC3782015 DOI: 10.4161/onci.25514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Inducible regulatory T cells (iTregs, also called Tr1 cells) are generated in the periphery (circulation or tissue) of cancer patients upon the encounter of naïve CD4+ T cells with tumor-associated antigens. As p53 is often inactivated by genetic or epigenetic events during oncogenesis, p53-induced Tr1 cells might play a key role in establishing immunosuppressive networks in cancer patients. Tr1 cells were generated by co-culturing circulating CD4+CD25− T cells with autologous immature dendritic cells pulsed with a wild-type (WT) p53-derived peptide or an unrelated peptide derived from mucin 1 (MUC1). The Tr1 phenotype and the specificity for p53 of these cells were confirmed by multicolor flow cytometry. Moreover, the Tr1 cell-mediated suppression of T-cell proliferation was evaluated by CFSE-based flow cytometry, while their ability to alter the T-cell cytokine profile by ELISA and Luminex assays. The capacity of p53-induced Tr1 cells to suppress the generation and function of cytotoxic T lymphcoytes (CTLs) was assessed by flow cytometry and ELISPOT. Of note, low doses of the p53-derived peptide (p53low) induced greater numbers of Tr1 cells than the same peptide employed at high doses (p53high). Moreover, Tr1/p53low cells not secreted higher levels of interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor β1, but also mediated more robust suppressive effects on CTL proliferation than Tr1/p53high cells. Tr1/p53low cells, Tr1/p53high cells, as well as Tr1 cells generated with low doses of an unrelated MUC1-derived peptide were equally effective in suppressing the expansion and antitumor activity of p53-reactive CTLs. p53low induced the expansion of highly suppressive p53-reactive Tr1 cells. However, the capacity of these Tr1 cells to suppress the generation and function of p53-reactive CTLs was independent of their antigen-specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magis Mandapathil
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology; University of Giessen-Marburg; Marburg, Germany
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Sharma MD, Huang L, Choi JH, Lee EJ, Wilson JM, Lemos H, Pan F, Blazar BR, Pardoll DM, Mellor AL, Shi H, Munn DH. An inherently bifunctional subset of Foxp3+ T helper cells is controlled by the transcription factor eos. Immunity 2013; 38:998-1012. [PMID: 23684987 PMCID: PMC3681093 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2013.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
At sites of inflammation, certain regulatory T cells (Treg cells) can undergo rapid reprogramming into helper-like cells without loss of the transcription factor Foxp3. We show that reprogramming is controlled by downregulation of the transcription factor Eos (Ikzf4), an obligate corepressor for Foxp3. Reprogramming was restricted to a specific subset of "Eos-labile" Treg cells that was present in the thymus and identifiable by characteristic surface markers and DNA methylation. Mice made deficient in this subset became impaired in their ability to provide help for presentation of new antigens to naive T cells. Downregulation of Eos required the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), and mice lacking IL-6 had impaired development and function of the Eos-labile subset. Conversely, the immunoregulatory enzyme IDO blocked loss of Eos and prevented the Eos-labile Treg cells from reprogramming. Thus, the Foxp3(+) lineage contains a committed subset of Treg cells capable of rapid conversion into biologically important helper cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhav D. Sharma
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
- Pediatrics, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Lei Huang
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
- Radiology, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Jeong-Hyeon Choi
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Eun-Joon Lee
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - James M. Wilson
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Henrique Lemos
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Fan Pan
- Immunology and Hematopoiesis Div., Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231 USA
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Dept. of Pediatrics and Div. of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA
| | - Drew M. Pardoll
- Immunology and Hematopoiesis Div., Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231 USA
| | - Andrew L Mellor
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
- Medicine Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - Huidong Shi
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
| | - David H. Munn
- Cancer Center, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
- Pediatrics, Georgia Regent's University, Augusta, GA 30912 USA
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Olson BM, McNeel DG. Monitoring regulatory immune responses in tumor immunotherapy clinical trials. Front Oncol 2013; 3:109. [PMID: 23653893 PMCID: PMC3644716 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2013.00109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 04/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
While immune monitoring of tumor immunotherapy often focuses on the generation of productive Th1-type inflammatory immune responses, the importance of regulatory immune responses is often overlooked, despite the well-documented effects of regulatory immune responses in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. In a variety of malignancies, the frequency of regulatory cell populations has been shown to correlate with disease progression and a poor prognosis, further emphasizing the importance of characterizing the effects of immunotherapy on these populations. This review focuses on the role of suppressive immune populations (regulatory T cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and tumor-associated macrophages) in inhibiting anti-tumor immunity, how these populations have been used in the immune monitoring of clinical trials, the prognostic value of these responses, and how the monitoring of these regulatory responses can be improved in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Olson
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center Madison, WI, USA
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16
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Effects of cyclophosphamide and IL-2 on regulatory CD4+ T cell frequency and function in melanoma patients vaccinated with HLA-class I peptides: impact on the antigen-specific T cell response. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2013; 62:897-908. [PMID: 23589107 PMCID: PMC3634989 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-013-1397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The frequency and function of regulatory T cells (Tregs) were studied in stage II–III melanoma patients who were enrolled in a phase II randomized trial of vaccination with HLA-A*0201-modified tumor peptides versus observation. The vaccinated patients received low-dose cyclophosphamide (CTX) and low-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2). Tregs were analyzed in the lymph nodes (LNs) of stage III patients who were undergoing complete lymph node dissection and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) collected before vaccination and at different time points during the vaccination period. The LNs of the vaccinated patients, which were surgically removed after two rounds of vaccination and one dose of CTX, displayed a low frequency of Tregs and a less immunosuppressive environment compared with those of the untreated patients. The accurate time-course analysis of the PBMCs of patients enrolled in the vaccination arm indicated a limited and transient modulation in the frequencies of Tregs in PBMCs collected after low-dose CTX administration and a strong Treg boost in those PBMCs collected after low-dose IL-2 administration. However, a fraction of the IL-2-boosted Tregs was functionally modulated to a Th-1-like phenotype in the vaccinated patients. Moreover, low-dose IL-2 promoted the concomitant expansion of conventional activated CD4+ T cells. Despite the amplification of Tregs, IL-2 administration maintained or further increased the number of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells that were induced by vaccination as demonstrated by the ex vivo human leukocyte antigen-multimer staining and IFN-γ ELISpot assays. Our study suggests that the use of CTX as a Treg modulator should be revised in terms of the administration schedule and of patients who may benefit from this drug treatment. Despite the Treg expansion that was observed in this study, low-dose IL-2 is not detrimental to the functional activities of vaccine-primed CD8+ T cell effectors when used in the inflammatory environment of vaccination.
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Coe D, Addey C, White M, Harwood N, Dyson J, Chai JG. Distinct in vivo CD8 and CD4 T cell responses against normal and malignant tissues. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2013; 62:101-12. [PMID: 22806093 PMCID: PMC11028943 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-012-1316-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 07/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Normal tissue and tumour grafts expressing the same alloantigens often elicit distinct immune responses whereby only normal tissue is rejected. To investigate the mechanisms that underlie these distinct outcomes, we compared the responses of adoptively transferred HY-specific conventional (CD8 and CD4) or regulatory T (Treg) cells in mice bearing HY-expressing tumour, syngeneic male skin graft or both. For local T cell priming, T cell re-circulation, graft localization and retention, skin grafts were more efficient than tumours. Skin grafts were also capable of differentiating CD4 T cells into functional Th1 cells. Donor T cell responses were inversely correlated with tumour progression. When skin graft and tumour transplants were performed sequentially, contemporary graft and tumour burden enhanced CD8 but reduced CD4 T cell responses causing accelerated skin-graft rejection without influencing tumour growth. Although both skin grafts and tumours were able to expand HY-specific Treg cells in draining lymph node (dLN), the proportion of tumour-infiltrating Treg cells was significantly higher than that within skin grafts, correlating with accelerated tumour growth. Moreover, there was a higher level of HY antigen presentation by host APC in tumour-dLN than in graft-dLN. Finally, tumour tissues expressed a significant higher level of IDO, TGFβ, IL10 and Arginase I than skin grafts, indicating that malignant but not normal tissue represents a stronger immunosuppressive environment. These comparisons provide important insight into the in vivo mechanisms that conspire to compromise tumour-specific adaptive immunity and identify new targets for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Coe
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Caroline Addey
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Matthew White
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Nida Harwood
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Julian Dyson
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - Jian-Guo Chai
- Section of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN UK
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18
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Olson BM, Jankowska-Gan E, Becker JT, Vignali DAA, Burlingham WJ, McNeel DG. Human prostate tumor antigen-specific CD8+ regulatory T cells are inhibited by CTLA-4 or IL-35 blockade. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2012; 189:5590-601. [PMID: 23152566 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1201744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T cells play important roles in cancer development and progression by limiting the generation of innate and adaptive anti-tumor immunity. We hypothesized that in addition to natural CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, tumor Ag-specific Tregs interfere with the detection of anti-tumor immunity after immunotherapy. Using samples from prostate cancer patients immunized with a DNA vaccine encoding prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and a trans-vivo delayed-type hypersensitivity (tvDTH) assay, we found that the detection of PAP-specific effector responses after immunization was prevented by the activity of PAP-specific regulatory cells. These regulatory cells were CD8(+)CTLA-4(+), and their suppression was relieved by blockade of CTLA-4, but not IL-10 or TGF-β. Moreover, Ag-specific CD8(+) Tregs were detected prior to immunization in the absence of PAP-specific effector responses. These PAP-specific CD8(+)CTLA-4(+) suppressor T cells expressed IL-35, which was decreased after blockade of CTLA-4, and inhibition of either CTLA-4 or IL-35 reversed PAP-specific suppression of tvDTH response. PAP-specific CD8(+)CTLA-4(+) T cells also suppressed T cell proliferation in an IL-35-dependent, contact-independent fashion. Taken together, these findings suggest a novel population of CD8(+)CTLA-4(+) IL-35-secreting tumor Ag-specific Tregs arise spontaneously in some prostate cancer patients, persist during immunization, and can prevent the detection of Ag-specific effector responses by an IL-35-dependent mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian M Olson
- University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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Sugiura D, Denda-Nagai K, Takashima M, Murakami R, Nagai S, Takeda K, Irimura T. Local effects of regulatory T cells in MUC1 transgenic mice potentiate growth of MUC1 expressing tumor cells in vivo. PLoS One 2012; 7:e44770. [PMID: 23028615 PMCID: PMC3444443 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0044770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MUC1 transgenic (MUC1.Tg) mice have widely been used as model recipients of cancer immunotherapy with MUC1. Although MUC1.Tg mice have previously been shown to be immunologically tolerant to MUC1, the involvement of regulatory T (Treg) cells in this phenotype remains unclear. Here, we showed that numbers of Treg cells in MUC1-expressing tumors were greater in MUC1.Tg mice than in control C57BL/6 (B6) mice, and that the growth of tumor cells expressing MUC1, but not that of control cells, in MUC1. Tg mice was faster than in B6 mice. The MUC1.Tg mice appeared to develop MUC1-specific peripheral tolerance, as transferred MUC1-specific T cells were unable to function in MUC1.Tg mice but were functional in control B6 mice. The suppressive function of CD4+CD25high cells from MUC1.Tg mice was more potent than that of cells from control B6 mice when Treg cell activity against MUC1-specific T cells was compared in vitro. Therefore, the enhanced growth of MUC1-expressing tumor cells in MUC1.Tg mice is likely due to the presence of MUC1-specific Treg cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Sugiura
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaori Denda-Nagai
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (KDN); (TI)
| | - Mitsuyo Takashima
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuichi Murakami
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigenori Nagai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Takeda
- Department of Immunology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tatsuro Irimura
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Molecular Immunology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (KDN); (TI)
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Molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation and functional plasticity of FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells. Genes Immun 2011; 13:1-13. [PMID: 22048454 DOI: 10.1038/gene.2011.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells engage in the maintenance of immunological self-tolerance and homeostasis by limiting aberrant or excessive inflammation. The transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) is critical for the development and function of Treg cells. The differentiation of the Treg cell lineage is not terminal, as developmental and functional plasticity occur through the sensing of inflammatory signals in the periphery. Here, we review the recent progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation and functional plasticity of CD4(+) CD25(+) FOXP3(+) Treg cells, through the perturbation of FOXP3 and its complex at a transcriptional, translational and post-translational level.
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Chai JG. Cancer vaccination reprograms regulatory T cells into helper CD4 T cells to promote antitumor CD8 T-cell responses. Immunotherapy 2011; 3:601-4. [DOI: 10.2217/imt.11.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Evaluation of: Sharma MD, Hou DY, Baban B et al. : Reprogrammed Foxp3+ regulatory T cells provide essential help to support cross-presentation and CD8+ T cell priming in naive mice. Immunity 33, 942–954 (2010). It has been recognized that natural CD4+Foxp3+ Tregs could display a phenotypic and functional plasticity in an inflammatory microenvironment. Following the loss of key transcription factor, Foxp3 and core inhibitory molecules associated with suppression, Tregs are reprogrammed into proinflammatory effector cells in vivo. However, the biological significance of this conversion is elusive. Sharma et al. demonstrate that in response to vaccines containing antigens, IFA and CpG, a large proportion of Tregs are dedifferentiated into Th1-like effector cells, which coexpress CD40L – a key molecule for CD8 help by licensing dendritic cells. Under certain experimental conditions, these reprogrammed Tregs are absolutely essential in helping the differentiation of CD8 T cells primed by antigen cross-presentation pathways. Treg conversion is diminished by tumor-induced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in tumor-bearing mice, and blockade of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity in vivo is able to rescue Treg reprogramming. Collectively, in response to signaling from innate immune cells, Tregs are rapidly reprogrammed into Th1-like effector cells, which are also capable of providing timely help for antigen-specific CD8 T cells in the early phase of activation, when the traditional cognate help from conventional CD4 T cells has not yet became available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Guo Chai
- Cancer Immunotherapy Group, Section of Immunobiology, Division of Immunity & Inflammation, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
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