title: Significantly reduced regulatory T cell population in patients with untreated multiple myeloma.
abstract: Increases in regulatory T-cells have been demonstrated in hematological malignancies but conflicting results have been reported in multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we report a decrease in frequency of regulatory T-cells as well as reduced expression of FoxP3 in untreated MM patients which increased significantly after treatment. Regulatory T-cells of MM patients exhibited immunosuppressive activity in an in vitro assay. Reduced regulatory T-cells in untreated MM patients which increased after treatment with thalidomide, suggests the analysis of treated and untreated patients as a single cohort as cause of conflicting results in earlier studies on regulatory T-cells in MM.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Oncology Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. drritugupta@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ritu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Prasanth
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ganeshan
authors.forename: Mrinali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hakim
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: Atul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Lalit
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013792:Thalidomide