Novel Effector Phenotype of Tim-3⁺ Regulatory T Cells Leads to Enhanced Suppressive Function in Head and Neck Cancer Patients.

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Regulatory T (Treg) cells are important suppressive cells among tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). Treg cells express the well-known immune checkpoint receptor PD-1, which is reported to mark "exhausted" Treg with lower suppressive function. T-cell immunoglobulin mucin (Tim)-3, a negative regulator of Th1 immunity, is expressed by a sizeable fraction of TIL Tregs, but the functional status of Tim-3⁺ Tregs remains unclear.Experimental Design: CD4⁺CTLA-4⁺CD25^high Treg cells were sorted from freshly excised head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) TIL based on Tim-3 expression. Functional and phenotypic features of these Tim-3⁺ and Tim-3^- TIL Tregs were tested by in vitro suppression assays

SUBMITTER: Liu Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6139056 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature