Methyl gallate exhibits potent antitumor activities by inhibiting tumor infiltration of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells.
CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells play crucial roles in the host response to tumors. Increasing evidence supports the existence of elevated numbers of Treg cells in solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. In this study, the effects of methyl gallate on Treg cells were examined. Methyl gallate inhibited Treg cell-suppressive effects on effector CD4(+) T cells and Treg migration toward tumor environment. The expression of Treg surface markers including CTLA-4, CCR4, CXCR4, and glucocorticoid-induced TNFR was significantly suppressed upon methyl gallate treatment. Furthermore, forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) expression was also significantly decreased by methyl gallate, suggesting that the suppressive effects of methyl gallate on Treg were medicated by decrease of Treg-specific transcription factor Foxp3. In tumor-bearing hosts, methyl gallate treatment substantially reduced tumor growth and prolonged the survival rate. In contrast, nu/nu mice did not show decreased tumor progression in response to methyl gallate. In addition, in tumor-bearing Treg-depleted mice, tumor growth and the survival rates were not changed by methyl gallate treatment, strongly suggesting that the main therapeutic target of methyl gallate in tumor suppression was related to modulation of the CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cell functions. In the spleen of tumor-bearing mice, methyl gallate treatment induced a significant decrease in the CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(high) Treg cell population. Especially, the number of tumor-infiltrating CD25(+)Foxp3(high) Treg cells was significantly lower in methyl gallate-treated mice. These results suggest that methyl gallate can be used to reverse immune suppression and as a potentially useful adjunct for enhancing the efficacy of immune-based cancer therapy.
Department of Physiology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung-Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Heekyung
H
Lee
Hyojung
H
Lee
Youngjoo
Y
Kwon
Jun-Ho
JH
Lee
Jinju
J
Kim
Min-Kyu
MK
Shin
Sung-Hoon
SH
Kim
Hyunsu
H
Bae
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D029596:Paeonia; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D010936:Plant Extracts; C038881:moutan cortex; C052082:methyl gallate; D005707:Gallic Acid