Follicular lymphoma intratumoral CD4+CD25+GITR + regulatory T cells potently suppress CD3/CD28-costimulated autologous and allogeneic CD8+CD25- and CD4 +CD25- T cells

Shannon P. Hilchey, Asit De, Lisa M. Rimsza, Richard B. Bankert, Steven H. Bernstein

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

70 Scopus citations

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (TR) play a critical role in the inhibition of self-reactive immune responses and as such have been implicated in the suppression of tumor-reactive effector T cells. In this study, we demonstrate that follicular lymphoma (FL)-infiltrating CD8+ and CD4+ T cells are hyporesponsive to CD3/CD28 costimulation. We further identify a population of FL-infiltrating CD4+CD25+GITR+ TR that are significantly over-represented within FL nodes (FLN) compared with that seen in normal (non-malignant, nonlymphoid hyperplastic) or reactive (nonmalignant, lymphoid hyperplastic) nodes. These TR actively suppress both the proliferation of autologous nodal CD8 +CD25- and CD4+CD25- T cells, as well as cytokine production (IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-2), after CD3/CD28 costimulation. Removal of these cells in vitro by CD25+ magnetic bead depletion restores both the proliferation and cytokine production of the remaining T cells, demonstrating that FLN T cell hyporesponsiveness is reversible. In addition to suppressing autologous nodal T cells, these T R are also capable of suppressing the proliferation of allogeneic CD8+CD25- and CD4+CD25- T cells from normal lymph nodes as well as normal donor PBL, regardless of very robust stimulation of the target cells with plate-bound anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 Abs. The allogeneic suppression is not reciprocal, as equivalent numbers of CD25 +FOXP3+ cells derived from either normal lymph nodes or PBL are not capable of suppressing allogeneic CD8+CD25- and CD4+CD25- T cells, suggesting that FLN TR are more suppressive than those derived from non-malignant sources. Lastly, we demonstrate that inhibition of TGF-β signaling partially restores FLN T cell proliferation suggesting a mechanistic role for TGF-β in FLN T R-mediated suppression.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4051-4061
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume178
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 1 2007

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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