Treg(s) in Cancer: Friends or Foe?
Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer. Regulatory T cells (Treg) have been described to maintain peripheral tolerance. The role of Treg in cancer is ambiguous, as they are central inhibitory regulators in solid tumors, whereas during inflammation-driven tumorigenesis they prevent cancer initiation by restraining inflammation. As a consequence, under conditions with chronic inflammation that may initiate malignant transformation, application rather than depletion of Treg may be helpful. In solid tumors, however, the success story of immune-activating antibodies targeting checkpoint molecules of T cell activation fuels the hope that Treg inactivation or depletion may additionally boost anti-tumor immune response. In this review we summarize important aspects on the dual role of Treg in cancer to provide a rationale for future Treg targeting attempts.
Medical Clinic 3, Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany.|Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine 5, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Dominik
D
Wolf
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine 5, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.|Tyrolean Cancer Research Institute (TKFI), Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Sieghart
S
Sopper
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine 5, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Andreas
A
Pircher
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine 5, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Guenther
G
Gastl
Medical Clinic 3, Oncology, Hematology and Rheumatology, University Hospital Bonn (UKB), Bonn, Germany.|Department of Hematology and Oncology, Internal Medicine 5, Medical University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
Anna Maria
AM
Wolf
D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism