The significance of Treg cells in defective tumor immunity

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Treg) enriched in FoxP3⁺, glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor⁺, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4⁺ exert a potential to suppress effector T cells in the periphery. These cells exist in markedly higher proportions within tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, peripheral blood lymphocytes, and/or regional lymph node lymphocytes of patients with cancer and their frequencies are suggested to be strongly related to tumor progression and inversely correlated with the efficacy of treatment. Tumor-specific Treg cells require ligand-specific activation and cell-to-cell contact to exert their suppressive activity on tumor-specific effector cells (CD8⁺ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and CD4⁺ Th cells), which includes decreased cytotoxity, proliferation, and Th1 cytokine secrection. Depletion or blockade of Treg cells can enhance immune protection from tumor-associated antigens that are expressed as self antigens. Recent studies revealed that lymphoma T cells might adopt a Treg profile as well. Studies assessing the influence of chemotherapy on Treg cells have also been included in this review.