CD70+ non-Hodgkin lymphoma B cells induce Foxp3 expression and regulatory function in intratumoral CD4+CD25 T cells

ZZ Yang, AJ Novak, SC Ziesmer… - Blood, The Journal …, 2007 - ashpublications.org
ZZ Yang, AJ Novak, SC Ziesmer, TE Witzig, SM Ansell
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2007ashpublications.org
Foxp3 expression was initially thought to be restricted to the CD4+ CD25+ regulatory T-cell
population. However, recent studies suggest that forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) is expressed in
CD4+ CD25− T cells in aged mice. In the present study in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma
(NHL), we found that a subset of intratumoral but not peripheral blood CD4+ CD25− T cells,
comprising about 15% of intratumoral CD4+ T cells, express Foxp3 and are capable of
suppressing the proliferation of autologous infiltrating CD8+ T cells. In vitro activation with …
Foxp3 expression was initially thought to be restricted to the CD4+CD25+ regulatory T-cell population. However, recent studies suggest that forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) is expressed in CD4+CD25 T cells in aged mice. In the present study in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), we found that a subset of intratumoral but not peripheral blood CD4+CD25 T cells, comprising about 15% of intratumoral CD4+ T cells, express Foxp3 and are capable of suppressing the proliferation of autologous infiltrating CD8+ T cells. In vitro activation with OKT3/anti-CD28 antibody (Ab) or dendritic cells (DCs) induced Foxp3 expression in a subset of these CD4+CD25Foxp3 T cells. We found that the presence of lymphoma B cells during activation augmented activation-induced Foxp3 expression in CD4+CD25 T cells. We also found that CD70+ lymphoma B cells significantly contributed to the activation-induced Foxp3 expression in intratumoral CD4+CD25 T cells. Furthermore, the blockade of CD27-CD70 interaction by anti-CD70 Ab abrogated lymphoma B-cell–mediated induction of Foxp3 expression in intratumoral CD4+CD25 T cells. Taken together, these studies reveal a novel role for NHL B cells in the development of intratumoral regulatory T cells.
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