title: Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+regulatory T cells promotes development of colorectal cancer by inhibiting tumor immunity.
abstract: The mechanism underlying CD4+CD25+Foxp3+regulatory T cells (Tregs) promoting the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) was elucidated in the present study. Forty-eight cases of colorectal carcinomas, 22 cases of colon polyps and 21 cases of normal colorectal tissues were collected. The correlation among Foxp3, IL-10 and Stat3, and the clinical relevance of these three indexes were analyzed. The results showed that the levels of Foxp3 expressed in infiltrating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs, and IL-10 and Stat3 in CRC tissues were all significantly higher than those in polypus tissues and normal colon tissues (P< 0.01). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the expression level of Foxp3 was positively correlated with Stat3 at mRNA level (r=0.526, P=0.036), and was positively correlated with IL-10 at protein level (r=0.314, P=0.030). The Foxp3 expressed in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs was correlated with the histological grade, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage of CRC (P<0.05 for all). The IL-10 expression was correlated with the histological grade and TNM stage (both P<0.05). The Stat3 expression was correlated with the lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (both P<0.05). It was concluded that CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs can inhibit tumor immunity in combination with some other related inhibitory cytokines and that Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs correlates with CRC progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.|The Hubei Clinical Center & Key Laboratory of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.|The Hubei Clinical Center & Key Laboratory of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.|The Hubei Clinical Center & Key Laboratory of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: You-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Mao-Hui
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.|The Hubei Clinical Center & Key Laboratory of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. zhfchen818@sina.com.|The Hubei Clinical Center & Key Laboratory of Intestinal & Colorectal Diseases, Wuhan, 430071, China. zhfchen818@sina.com.
authors.forename: Zhi-Fen
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D016753:Interleukin-10
keywords: CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells; Foxp3; IL-10; Stat3; colorectal cancer; tumor immunity