Suppression of tumour-specific CD4+ T cells by regulatory T cells is associated with progression of human colorectal cancer

Betts, Gareth James, Jones, Emma, Junaid, Syed, El-Shanawany, Tariq, Scurr, Martin John ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4120-0688, Mizen, Paul Edward, Kumar, Mayur, Jones, Sion, Rees, Brian Idris, Williams, Geraint Trefor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3768-9940, Gallimore, Awen Myfanwy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6675-7004 and Godkin, Andrew James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1910-7567 2012. Suppression of tumour-specific CD4+ T cells by regulatory T cells is associated with progression of human colorectal cancer. Gut 61 (8) , pp. 1163-1171. 10.1136/gutjnl-2011-300970

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

Background. There is indirect evidence that T cell responses can control the metastatic spread of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, an enrichment of CD4(+)Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) has also been documented. Objective. To evaluate whether CRC promotes Treg activity and how this influences anti-tumour immune responses and disease progression. Methods. A longitudinal study of Treg activity on a cohort of patients was performed before and after tumour resection. Specific CD4(+) T cell responses were also measured to the tumour associated antigens carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and 5T4. Results. Tregs from 62 preoperative CRC patients expressed a highly significant increase in levels of Foxp3 compared to healthy age-matched controls (p=0.007), which returned to normal after surgery (p=0.0075). CD4(+) T cell responses to one or both of the tumour associated antigens, CEA and 5T4, were observed in approximately two-thirds of patients and one third of these responses were suppressed by Tregs. Strikingly, in all patients with tumour recurrence at 12 months, significant preoperative suppression was observed of tumour-specific (p=0.003) but not control CD4(+) T cell responses. Conclusion. These findings demonstrate that the presence of CRC drives the activity of Tregs and accompanying suppression of CD4(+) T cell responses to tumour-associated antigens. Suppression is associated with recurrence of tumour at 12 months, implying that Tregs contribute to disease progression. These findings offer a rationale for the manipulation of Tregs for therapeutic intervention.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Systems Immunity Research Institute (SIURI)
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology (including Cancer)
Publisher:	BMJ Publishing Group
ISSN:	0017-5749
Last Modified:	06 Nov 2022 13:56
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/28278

Citation Data

Cited 107 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item