Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 46, Issue 3 , Pages 215-221, September 2007

Regulatory T Cells: Potential Target in Anticancer Immunotherapy

  • Chi-Mou Juang

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Institute of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
    • ,
  • Chien-Fu Hung

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
    • ,
  • Jiun-Yih Yeh

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Huann-Cheng Horng

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Nae-Fong Twu

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ming-Huei Cheng

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Kuo-Chang Wen

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chiou-Chung Yuan

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Kuan-Chong Chao

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • T-C Wu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
    • ,
  • Ming-Shien Yen

      Affiliations

    • Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Veterans General Hospital, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Ming-Shien Yen, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, 201, Section 2, Shih-Pai Road, Taipei 112, Taiwan

Accepted 12 April 2007.

Article Outline

Summary 

The concept of regulatory T cells was first described in the early 1970s, and regulatory T cells were called suppressive T cells at that time. Studies that followed have demonstrated that these suppressive T cells negatively regulated tumor immunity and contributed to tumor growth in mice. Despite the importance of these studies, there was extensive skepticism about the existence of these cells, and the concept of suppressive T cells left the center stage of immunologic research for decades. Interleukin-2 receptor α-chain, CD25, was first demonstrated in 1995 to serve as a phenotypic marker for CD4+ regulatory cells. Henceforth, research of regulatory T cells boomed. Regulatory T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer, autoimmune disease, transplantation immunology, and immune tolerance in pregnancy. Recent evidence has demonstrated that regulatory T cellmediated immunosuppression is one of the crucial tumor immune evasion mechanisms and the main obstacle of successful cancer immunotherapy. The mechanism and the potential clinical application of regulatory T cells in cancer immunotherapy are discussed.

Key Words:  CD25 , Foxp3 , immunotherapy , regulatory T cells

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PII: S1028-4559(08)60023-6

doi:10.1016/S1028-4559(08)60023-6

Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 46, Issue 3 , Pages 215-221, September 2007

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