T-Regulatory Cells In Tumor Progression And Therapy

Abstract

Amit Verma,1 Rohit Mathur,2 Abdullah Farooque3,†, Vandana Kaul,4 Seema Gupta,5 Bilikere S Dwarakanath6 1Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Department of Lymphoma and Myeloma, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA; 3Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Georgia, GA, USA; 4Division of Abdominal Transplantation, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; 5Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA; 6Shanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China†Dr. Abdullah Farooque passed away on August 19, 2016Correspondence: Seema GuptaLombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USAEmail [email protected] S DwarakanathShanghai Proton and Heavy Ion Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important members of the immune system regulating the host responses to infection and neoplasms. Tregs prevent autoimmune disorders by protecting the host-cells from an immune response, related to the peripheral tolerance. However, tumor cells use Tregs as a shield to protect themselves against anti-tumor immune response. Thus, Tregs are a hurdle in achieving the complete potential of anti-cancer therapies including immunotherapy. This has prompted the development of novel adjuvant therapies that obviate their negative effects thereby enhancing the therapeutic efficacy. Our earlier studies have shown the efficacy of the glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) by reducing the induced Tregs pool and enhance immune stimulation as well as local tumor control. These findings have suggested its potential for enhancing the efficacy of immunotherapy, besides radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This review provides a brief account of the current status of Tregs as a component of the immune-biology of tumors and various preclinical and clinical strategies pursued to obviate the limitations imposed by them in achieving therapeutic efficacy.Keywords: T-regulatory cells, cyclophosphamide, dendritic cells, immune enhancement, targeted cancer therapy, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, metabolic inhibitor

Keywords

• t-regulatory cells
• cyclophosphamide
• dendritic cells
• immune enhancement
• targeted cancer therapy
• 2-deoxy-d-glucose
• metabolic inhibitor.