Dynamics of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background and Objectives

The immune dysfunction in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients is one of the major factors for growth and dissemination of tumor affecting disease-free survival.

Methods

The phenotypic and functional characteristics of Regulatory T (T_reg) CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺ subsets in OSCC patients were assessed by multicolor flow cytometry and its effector component (TGF-β) by Western blot and qRT-PCR.

Results

An increased (P < 0.05) prevalence of T_reg phenotypes (CD4⁺CD25⁺, CD4⁺FoxP3⁺, CD8⁺FoxP3⁺, CD4⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺) was observed in the peripheral circulation of OSCC patients that positively correlated with clinicopathological features. The increased frequency of CD4⁺CD8⁺CD25⁺FoxP3⁺, a unique T cell subset, CTLA-4⁺, GITR⁺, NrP1⁺, HLA-DR⁺, CD127⁺, Tbet⁺, TGF-β⁺, and granzyme B⁺ (GzmB) T_regs also showed a significantly higher prevalence in OSCC patients. Functionally, CD4⁺FoxP3⁺ T_regs showed skewed expression of IL-2, IL-10, and IL-35 in patients as compared with the normal controls. Further, enhanced expression of CCR5 and CCR7 on T_regs with up regulation of their ligands (CCL5, CCL19, and CCL21) in tumor cells indicates efficient recruitment and trafficking of T_regs to the tumor site.

Conclusion

It seems reasonable to assume that modulation of functional dynamics of selective T_reg subsets may be useful in developing immunotherapeutic strategy for OSCC patients.

from #ORL-AlexandrosSfakianakis via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2wlianY