Accumulation of Regulatory T Cells in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Can Boost Immune Disruption

Background and Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the number of Tregs in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), in normal breast parenchyma and in the peripheral blood of these patients and controls, in addition to their correlations with the clinico-pathologic features and the outcomes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer management and research 2021-01, Vol.13, p.6019-6029
Main Authors: Zahran, Asmaa M, El-Badawy, Omnia, Kamel, Lamiaa M, Rayan, Amal, Rezk, Khalid, Abdel-Rahim, Mona H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer therapies
Cloning
disease free survival
Diseases
Estrogens
Health aspects
Immunotherapy
Lymphocytes
Mastectomy
Medical equipment and supplies industry
Medical prognosis
Medical test kit industry
Metastasis
Oncology, Experimental
Original Research
recurrences
Relapse
Scintigraphy
Software
Surgery
T cells
tregs
triple negative breast cancer
Tumors
Women
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Summary:Background and Aim: The present study was conducted to evaluate the number of Tregs in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), in normal breast parenchyma and in the peripheral blood of these patients and controls, in addition to their correlations with the clinico-pathologic features and the outcomes of TNBC. Methods: Thirty adult treatment-naive women with non-metastatic TNBC were recruited. In addition, 20 ages matched healthy females participated as a control group. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all participants in tubes containing heparin, fresh tumor tissues were also obtained from all patients undergoing surgery, and 20 normal breast tissue samples were obtained from the same patients' areas adjacent to the safety margins; all these samples were taken for flow cytometric detection of Tregs. Results: The mean percentages of [CD4.sup.+][CD25.sup.+high]T cells and Tregs were higher in TNBC peripheral blood than healthy controls and in malignant tissue than normal tissue. Moreover, the frequencies of tumor-infiltrating [CD4.sup.+]T cells and Tregs were exceeding those in the peripheral blood of cancer patients. Only tumor-infiltrating Tregs have shown increasing levels with the increase in the tumor size and were significantly higher in patients with local recurrences than those without recurrence. In addition, Tregs showed significant inverse relation with DFS and direct relation with the level of the peripheral Tregs. Conclusion: The findings of the current study support the possibility that TNBC micro-environment conveys specific characteristics on Tregs distinguishing them from those in normal breast tissue or Tregs in peripheral blood, improving the capabilities of tumor-infiltrating Tregs to enhance tumor growth, local recurrence and reduce the DFS. Keywords: triple negative breast cancer, Tregs, disease free survival, recurrences
ISSN:1179-1322
1179-1322
DOI:10.2147/CMAR.S285128