title: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes contain a higher proportion of FOXP3(+) T lymphocytes in cervical cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The subpopulations and functions of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from cervical cancer (CC) are altered. Dysfunction of TIL could be partially because of the inhibition by regulatory T (T(reg)) cells. FOXP3 is the control gene for the T(reg) cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the distribution of TILs and FOXP3(+) cells in CC (n = 10) and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (n = 8) tissues. Double-immunofluorescence and confocal-based image quantitative microscopic analysis were used to calculate the number of cluster of differentiation (CD)4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) T(reg) cells around the tumor cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CD4(+)CD25(+)FOXP3(+) phenotype of T(reg) cells was accumulated around the tumor cells. CC contains a significantly higher proportion of the FOXP3(+) T cells than in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (p < 0.001). Moreover, CC with lymph node metastasis has a higher proportion of the FOXP3(+) T cells than that without lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased accumulation of T(reg) cells suggests that T(reg) cells are important in the immunopathogenesis of CC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei.
authors.forename: Ming-Yih
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Tzu-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Hong-Nerng
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Ho
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors