title: CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in tumor immunity.
abstract: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for maintaining peripheral tolerance, preventing autoimmune diseases and limiting chronic inflammatory diseases. Depletion of Tregs results in the onset of a variety of autoimmune diseases. Tregs are defined based on expression of CD4, CD25, and the transcription factor, FoxP3. It is now clear that three inhibitory cytokines, IL-10, IL-35 and TGF-β, are key mediators of Tregs function. Tregs have been shown to be important contributors to the development of immune tolerance toward tumors and play a critical role in the induction of tolerance to tumor associated antigens and suppression of anti-tumor immunity. Increasing researches support the existence of elevated numbers of regulatory T cells in cancer patients. Poor prognosis and decreased survival rates are closely correlated with higher Treg cell frequencies. Depletion of Tregs or blockade of their immune inhibitory role can enhance anti-tumor effects. Recent evidence suggests that Tregs may be responsible for the failure of host anti-tumor immunity by suppressing cytotoxic T-cells. In this review, we discuss cellular and molecular mechanisms in the differentiation and function of Tregs in tumor immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: XiuQing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: duyong860320@163.com.
authors.forename: ZhiMing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit
keywords: CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cell; CTLA-4; Foxp3; GITR; Tumor immunity