CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) regulatory T cells express Foxp3 and suppress effector T cell proliferation and contribute to gastric cancers progression.
Increased populations of regulatory T cells (Tregs) impair anti-tumor immunity. Recently, the transcription factor Foxp3 has been reported to play a key role in CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cell function and represents a specific marker for these cells. However, Foxp3 is a nuclear protein and is of limited value in the isolation of Tregs, which is a major reason that many functionally relevant aspects of Treg cells are still unknown. Here, we have characterized CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/)- as the surface marker of regulatory T cells in gastric cancer. 88.1-96.1%of CD25(+)CD127(low/-) T cells expressed Foxp3, the frequency of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood of gastric cancer patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls. Increased CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) regulatory T cells were also present in the tumor microenvironment, such as those found in the ascites fluid, tumor tissue or adjacent lymph nodes. Particularly those Treg cells associated with the TNM stage. In addition, we found that CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) Tregs suppressed effector T cell proliferation and also correlated to advanced stage of gastric cancer. Thus, CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low/-) can be used as a selective biomarker to enrich human Treg cells and also to perform functional in vitro assays in gastric cancer.
Shen
Li-Song
LS
Department of Clinical Laboratory, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Wang
Jian
J
Shen
Ding-Feng
DF
Yuan
Xiang-Liang
XL
Dong
Ping
P
Li
Mei-Xing
MX
Xue
Jian
J
Zhang
Feng-Min
FM
Ge
Hai-Liang
HL
Xu
Dakang
D
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
D015415:Biomarkers; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D053699:Interleukin-7 Receptor alpha Subunit