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Behavior of Circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells in Colon Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery

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Abstract

CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) specialize in suppressing immune responses. In this study, 47 consecutive colon cancer patients were subjected to circulating Treg frequency assessment by flow cytometry before and after cancer resection. Thirty-two healthy subjects served as controls. Circulating Treg frequencies were significantly higher in colon cancer patients with respect to healthy controls. When patients were subgrouped according to Dukes stages, a linear relationship was observed between Dukes stages and Treg frequencies. In radically resected patients, Treg frequencies were shown to have significantly dropped down. Patients with advanced colon cancer were more likely to have significantly higher proportions of circulating Treg frequencies than Dukes A and B patients when compared to healthy subjects. Of note, nonradically resected patients were found to display reductions in—but not normalization of—Treg frequencies. These results suggest that cancer itself may be able to drive Treg recruitment as a strategy of immunoevasion.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to all patients who donated blood for this study and to Rosalinda Esposito, RN, for excellent assistance in assuring timely blood sample collection and delivery to the immunology laboratory. Excellent assistance by Drs. Adri and Giovi permitted timely enrollment of healthy subjects for comparison measures with patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Internal Medicine, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, 3, 80138, Naples, Italy

    Ausilia Sellitto, Umberto De Fanis, Riccardo Giunta, Giacomo Lucivero & Ciro Romano

  2. Division of Surgical Oncology, “F. Magrassi–A. Lanzara” Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Second University of Naples, c/o II Policlinico, Building 17, via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy

    Gennaro Galizia, Eva Lieto & Anna Zamboli

  3. Division of Medical Oncology, “F. Magrassi–A. Lanzara” Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy

    Michele Orditura & Ferdinando De Vita

Authors
  1. Ausilia Sellitto
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  2. Gennaro Galizia
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  3. Umberto De Fanis
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Correspondence to Gennaro Galizia or Ciro Romano.

Additional information

Ausilia Sellitto and Gennaro Galizia have contributed equally to this work.

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Sellitto, A., Galizia, G., De Fanis, U. et al. Behavior of Circulating CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Regulatory T Cells in Colon Cancer Patients Undergoing Surgery. J Clin Immunol 31, 1095–1104 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-011-9585-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10875-011-9585-8

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