Regulatory T cell depletion enhances tumor specific CD8 T-cell responses, elicited by tumor antigen NY-ESO-1b in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in vitro

  • Authors:
    • Heng-Hui Zhang
    • Ming-Hui Mei
    • Ran Fei
    • Wei-Jia Liao
    • Xue-Yan Wang
    • Li-Ling Qin
    • Jiang-Hua Wang
    • Lai Wei
    • Hong-Song Chen
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: April 1, 2010     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000561
  • Pages: 841-848
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Abstract

Immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma based on one or a few tumor specific antigens have shown limited antitumor efficacy. As a major suppressive factor in tumor immune response, better understanding of the role of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in hepatocellular carcinoma might be important for design of future immunotherapy-based clinical protocols. Tregs from 49 HCC patients and 40 controls were identified by flow cytometric analysis for the phenotype. Functional studies were performed by analyzing their inhibition to immune responses. Finally investigating whether elimination of Tregs was capable of enhancing the immunostimulatory efficacy of NY-ESO-1b peptides. In HCC peripheral blood and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, we found increased numbers of Tregs, which expressed high levels of HLA-DR, GITR and CD103. The prevalence of Tregs increased with during progressive stages in HCC patients. Moreover, the elimination of Treg cells followed by stimulating with NY-ESO-1b peptide significantly improved the anti-tumor cytotoxic T lymphocytes responses in HCC patients compared with stimulating with NY-ESO-1b peptide alone. The immune response efficiency increased from 37.5 to 62.5%. In conclusion, the increase in frequency of Treg cells might play a role in suppression of the immune response against HCC and for the design of immunotherapy the incorporation of the Treg cell depletion strategy will achieve potent anti-tumor immunity with therapeutic impact.

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April 2010
Volume 36 Issue 4

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Zhang H, Mei M, Fei R, Liao W, Wang X, Qin L, Wang J, Wei L and Chen H: Regulatory T cell depletion enhances tumor specific CD8 T-cell responses, elicited by tumor antigen NY-ESO-1b in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in vitro. Int J Oncol 36: 841-848, 2010
APA
Zhang, H., Mei, M., Fei, R., Liao, W., Wang, X., Qin, L. ... Chen, H. (2010). Regulatory T cell depletion enhances tumor specific CD8 T-cell responses, elicited by tumor antigen NY-ESO-1b in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in vitro. International Journal of Oncology, 36, 841-848. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000561
MLA
Zhang, H., Mei, M., Fei, R., Liao, W., Wang, X., Qin, L., Wang, J., Wei, L., Chen, H."Regulatory T cell depletion enhances tumor specific CD8 T-cell responses, elicited by tumor antigen NY-ESO-1b in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in vitro". International Journal of Oncology 36.4 (2010): 841-848.
Chicago
Zhang, H., Mei, M., Fei, R., Liao, W., Wang, X., Qin, L., Wang, J., Wei, L., Chen, H."Regulatory T cell depletion enhances tumor specific CD8 T-cell responses, elicited by tumor antigen NY-ESO-1b in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, in vitro". International Journal of Oncology 36, no. 4 (2010): 841-848. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo_00000561