title: Behavior of circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells in colon cancer patients undergoing surgery.
abstract: CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) specialize in suppressing immune responses. In this study, 47 consecutive colon cancer patients were subjected to circulating Treg frequency assessment by flow cytometry before and after cancer resection. Thirty-two healthy subjects served as controls. Circulating Treg frequencies were significantly higher in colon cancer patients with respect to healthy controls. When patients were subgrouped according to Dukes stages, a linear relationship was observed between Dukes stages and Treg frequencies. In radically resected patients, Treg frequencies were shown to have significantly dropped down. Patients with advanced colon cancer were more likely to have significantly higher proportions of circulating Treg frequencies than Dukes A and B patients when compared to healthy subjects. Of note, nonradically resected patients were found to display reductions in-but not normalization of-Treg frequencies. These results suggest that cancer itself may be able to drive Treg recruitment as a strategy of immunoevasion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, 3, 80138, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Ausilia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sellitto
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Galizia
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: De Fanis
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lieto
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zamboli
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orditura
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Vita
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giunta
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lucivero
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Romano
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019139:Tumor Escape
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit