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Published in:

01-10-2011

Activation of regulatory T cells instigates functional down-regulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in human breast cancer

Authors: Chao-Hsu Li, Wen-Hong Kuo, Wen-Chun Chang, Su-Cheng Huang, King-Jen Chang, Bor-Ching Sheu

Published in: Immunologic Research | Issue 1/2011

Abstract

Regulatory T (Treg) cells are a subpopulation of T cells with the ability to control the responses of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. A case–control study was conducted in order to determine the functional attributes of Treg cells within the breast cancer milieu. Triple-color flow cytometry was utilized to study the phenotype expression of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells and CD8+ T cells in autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) derived from 33 patients with stage I–III breast cancer. The prevalence of CD4+CD25+ T cells was significantly higher in TILs than in PBLs. The expressions of FOXP3 and GITR in CD4+CD25+ Treg cells were lower in PBLs than in TILs. Functional studies showed that both granzyme B and perforin were barely expressed in peripheral Treg cells but were highly expressed in Treg cells in the tumor microenvironment. On the contrary, down-regulation of both granzyme B and perforin expressed in the CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes was significantly lower in TILs than in PBLs. Further functional assays demonstrated that Th1 cytokines and cytotoxic molecules were synchronously up-regulated in CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. The in vitro kinetic study showed that adequate activation of TILs derived from breast cancer tissue could restore the appropriate antitumor immune response.

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Title: Activation of regulatory T cells instigates functional down-regulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in human breast cancer
Authors: Chao-Hsu Li
Wen-Hong Kuo
Wen-Chun Chang
Su-Cheng Huang
King-Jen Chang
Bor-Ching Sheu
Publication date: 01-10-2011
Publisher: Humana Press Inc
Published in: Immunologic Research / Issue 1/2011
Print ISSN: 0257-277X
Electronic ISSN: 1559-0755
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12026-011-8242-x

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Activation of regulatory T cells instigates functional down-regulation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in human breast cancer

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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