Osteopontin Regulates Treg Cell Stability and Function with Implications for Anti-Tumor Immunity and Autoimmunity.

ABSTRACT: Foxp3-expressing regulatory T (Treg) cells represent the most highly immunosuppressive cell in the tumor microenvironment (TME) that halts effective anti-tumor immunity. Osteopontin (Opn), an extracellular matrix (ECM) glycophosphoprotein, plays key roles in many types of immune-related diseases and is associated with cancer aggressiveness when expressed by tumor cells. However, its role in Foxp3Treg heterogeneity, function, and stability in the TME is poorly defined. We generated mice with a Foxp3-specific deletion of Opn and assessed the ability of Opn-deficient Tregs to suppress inflammation. As these mice aged, they developed a scurfy-like syndrome characterized by aberrant and excessive activation of effector T cells. We evaluated and further confirmed the reduced suppressive capacity

SUBMITTER: Vakrakou AG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11393878 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature