title: Circulating CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in patients with pancreatic cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Regulatory T cells (Treg) can inhibit immune responses mediated by T cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Treg in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with pancreatic cancers in relation to their clinical outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among a total of 100 patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, 40 underwent pancreatectomy and 60 had unresectable disease. Their peripheral blood mononuclear cells were evaluated to determine the proportion of CD4CD25 (FoxP3) T cells, as a percentage of the total CD4 cells, by flow cytometric analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of Treg in the patients with pancreatic cancer was significantly lower than that in the healthy volunteers (P = 0.048), and the patients who underwent surgical resection had lower Treg levels than those with unresectable disease (P = 0.040). Patients in the resected group with a higher percentage of Treg survived longer (P = 0.021). Treg in patients who remained disease free at postoperative 12 months significantly decreased compared to that of the postoperative period (P = 0.009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A relative increase in Treg may be related to immunosuppression and tumor progression in patients with pancreatic cancer. The immunological monitoring of Treg may be useful to predict the prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kansai Medical University, Osaka, Japan. yamamtom@hirakata.kmu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tomohisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yanagimoto
authors.forename: Sohei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satoi
authors.forename: Hideyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyokawa
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirooka
authors.forename: So
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamaki
authors.forename: Rintaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yui
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamao
authors.forename: Songtae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: A-Hon
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis*; D007564:Japan; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C508017:IL2RA protein, human; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit