Neuropilin 1 deficiency on CD4+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells impairs mouse melanoma growth

W Hansen, M Hutzler, S Abel, C Alter… - Journal of Experimental …, 2012 - rupress.org
W Hansen, M Hutzler, S Abel, C Alter, C Stockmann, S Kliche, J Albert, T Sparwasser
Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2012rupress.org
Infiltration of Foxp3+ regulatory T (T reg) cells is considered to be a critical step during tumor
development and progression. T reg cells supposedly suppress locally an effective anti-
tumor immune response within tumor tissues, although the precise mechanism by which T
reg cells infiltrate the tumor is still unclear. We provide evidence that Neuropilin 1 (Nrp-1),
highly expressed by Foxp3+ T reg cells, regulates the immunological anti-tumor control by
guiding T reg cells into the tumor in response to tumor-derived vascular endothelial growth …
Infiltration of Foxp3+ regulatory T (T reg) cells is considered to be a critical step during tumor development and progression. T reg cells supposedly suppress locally an effective anti-tumor immune response within tumor tissues, although the precise mechanism by which T reg cells infiltrate the tumor is still unclear. We provide evidence that Neuropilin 1 (Nrp-1), highly expressed by Foxp3+ T reg cells, regulates the immunological anti-tumor control by guiding T reg cells into the tumor in response to tumor-derived vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We demonstrate for the first time that T cell–specific ablation of Nrp-1 expression results in a significant breakdown in tumor immune escape in various transplantation models and in a spontaneous, endogenously driven melanoma model associated with strongly reduced tumor growth and prolonged tumor-free survival. Strikingly, numbers of tumor-infiltrating Foxp3+ T reg cells were significantly reduced accompanied by enhanced activation of CD8+ T cells within tumors of T cell–specific Nrp-1–deficient mice. This phenotype can be reversed by adoptive transfer of Nrp-1+ T reg cells from wild-type mice. Thus, our data strongly suggest that Nrp-1 acts as a key mediator of Foxp3+ T reg cell infiltration into the tumor site resulting in a dampened anti-tumor immune response and enhanced tumor progression.
rupress.org