Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer

Abstract Background T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (TIM3) is a negative immune checkpoint and plays a crucial part in tumor-induced immune suppression. However, the mechanism of TIM3 in regulating immunosuppression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was still not quite clear. Methods We...

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Main Authors: Jian-Feng Liu, Lei Wu, Lei-Lei Yang, Wei-Wei Deng, Liang Mao, Hao Wu, Wen-Feng Zhang, Zhi-Jun Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2018-03-01
Series:Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13046-018-0713-7
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author Jian-Feng Liu
Lei Wu
Lei-Lei Yang
Wei-Wei Deng
Liang Mao
Hao Wu
Wen-Feng Zhang
Zhi-Jun Sun
author_facet Jian-Feng Liu
Lei Wu
Lei-Lei Yang
Wei-Wei Deng
Liang Mao
Hao Wu
Wen-Feng Zhang
Zhi-Jun Sun
author_sort Jian-Feng Liu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (TIM3) is a negative immune checkpoint and plays a crucial part in tumor-induced immune suppression. However, the mechanism of TIM3 in regulating immunosuppression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was still not quite clear. Methods We carried out the immunohistochemistry staining of HNSCC tissue microarrays. Through quantification of the histoscore, we performed the correlation analysis among the TIM3, Galectin-9, Foxp3, CD68 and CD163. The effects of TIM3 on regulatory T cells (Tregs) and macrophages were detected by utilizing the Tgfbr1/Pten 2cKO HNSCC mouse model. Flow cytometry were used to analysis the percent of Tregs, macrophages and IFN-γ. Results We demonstrated the close association among TIM3/Galectin-9 pathway, regulatory T cell marker (Foxp3) and macrophage marker (CD68, CD163) in human HNSCC. In the transgenic HNSCC mouse model, blockade of TIM3 by the anti-TIM3 monoclonal antibody induced a reduction of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs. Meanwhile, the population of TIM3+ Tregs was also decreased. However, the population of CD206+ macrophages was not significantly declined. The increased IFN-γ production on CD8+ T cells in anti-TIM3 treatment mice showed that the antitumor immune response was enhanced through suppression of these negative immune factors. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that TIM3 was associated with the immunosuppression in HNSCC. And targeting TIM3 can enhance anti-tumor immune response by decreasing Tregs in HNSCC.
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spelling doaj.art-74634cb344c64111bc5078e3063ccb702022-12-21T17:57:25ZengBMCJournal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research1756-99662018-03-013711810.1186/s13046-018-0713-7Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancerJian-Feng Liu0Lei Wu1Lei-Lei Yang2Wei-Wei Deng3Liang Mao4Hao Wu5Wen-Feng Zhang6Zhi-Jun Sun7The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Oral Maxillofacial-Head Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityThe State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan UniversityAbstract Background T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (TIM3) is a negative immune checkpoint and plays a crucial part in tumor-induced immune suppression. However, the mechanism of TIM3 in regulating immunosuppression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) was still not quite clear. Methods We carried out the immunohistochemistry staining of HNSCC tissue microarrays. Through quantification of the histoscore, we performed the correlation analysis among the TIM3, Galectin-9, Foxp3, CD68 and CD163. The effects of TIM3 on regulatory T cells (Tregs) and macrophages were detected by utilizing the Tgfbr1/Pten 2cKO HNSCC mouse model. Flow cytometry were used to analysis the percent of Tregs, macrophages and IFN-γ. Results We demonstrated the close association among TIM3/Galectin-9 pathway, regulatory T cell marker (Foxp3) and macrophage marker (CD68, CD163) in human HNSCC. In the transgenic HNSCC mouse model, blockade of TIM3 by the anti-TIM3 monoclonal antibody induced a reduction of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs. Meanwhile, the population of TIM3+ Tregs was also decreased. However, the population of CD206+ macrophages was not significantly declined. The increased IFN-γ production on CD8+ T cells in anti-TIM3 treatment mice showed that the antitumor immune response was enhanced through suppression of these negative immune factors. Conclusions The present study demonstrated that TIM3 was associated with the immunosuppression in HNSCC. And targeting TIM3 can enhance anti-tumor immune response by decreasing Tregs in HNSCC.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13046-018-0713-7Head and neck cancerImmunosuppressionImmunotherapyImmune checkpointTregsMacrophages
spellingShingle Jian-Feng Liu
Lei Wu
Lei-Lei Yang
Wei-Wei Deng
Liang Mao
Hao Wu
Wen-Feng Zhang
Zhi-Jun Sun
Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research
Head and neck cancer
Immunosuppression
Immunotherapy
Immune checkpoint
Tregs
Macrophages
title Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
title_full Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
title_fullStr Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
title_full_unstemmed Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
title_short Blockade of TIM3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory T cells in head and neck cancer
title_sort blockade of tim3 relieves immunosuppression through reducing regulatory t cells in head and neck cancer
topic Head and neck cancer
Immunosuppression
Immunotherapy
Immune checkpoint
Tregs
Macrophages
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13046-018-0713-7
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