Dynamics of regulatory T cells (T ) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The immune dysfunction in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients is one of the major factors for growth and dissemination of tumor affecting disease-free survival.

METHODS

The phenotypic and functional characteristics of Regulatory T (T ) CD4 CD25 FoxP3 subsets in OSCC patients were assessed by multicolor flow cytometry and its effector component (TGF-β) by Western blot and qRT-PCR.

RESULTS

An increased (P < 0.05) prevalence of T phenotypes (CD4 CD25 , CD4 FoxP3 , CD8 FoxP3 , CD4 CD25 FoxP3 ) was observed in the peripheral circulation of OSCC patients that positively correlated with clinicopathological features. The increased frequency of CD4 CD8 CD25 FoxP3 , a unique T cell subset, CTLA-4 , GITR , NrP1 , HLA-DR , CD127 , Tbet , TGF-β , and granzyme B (GzmB) T also showed a significantly higher prevalence in OSCC patients. Functionally, CD4 FoxP3 T showed skewed expression of IL-2, IL-10, and IL-35 in patients as compared with the normal controls. Further, enhanced expression of CCR5 and CCR7 on T with up regulation of their ligands (CCL5, CCL19, and CCL21) in tumor cells indicates efficient recruitment and trafficking of T to the tumor site.

CONCLUSION

It seems reasonable to assume that modulation of functional dynamics of selective T subsets may be useful in developing immunotherapeutic strategy for OSCC patients.