Immunotherapy using regulatory T cells in cancer suggests more flavors of hypersensitivity type IV

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) profoundly affect tumor microenvironment and exert dominant suppression over antitumor immunity in response to self-antigen expressed by tumor. Immunotherapy targeting Tregs leads to a significant improvement in antitumor immunity. Intradermal injection of tumor antigen results in negative delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) type IV. However, anti-Tregs treatment/use of adjuvant along with tumor antigens turns DTH to positive. Considering Tregs as the earliest tumor sensor/responders, tumor can be regarded as Treg-mediated type IV hypersensitivity and negative DTH to tumor antigen is due to anti-inflammatory action of Tregs to tumor antigens at the injection site. Such a view would help us in basic and clinical situations to testify a candidate vaccine via dermal administration and evaluation of Treg proportion at injection site.