T-lymphocyte changes during intestinal tumorsgenesis in the ApcMin/+ mouse model

摘要

Cox-2 promotes intestinal adenoma development and induces a regulatory T-cell phenotype. Adoptive transfer of regulatory T-cells has been shown to down-regulate intestinal Cox-2 expression and lead to regression of intestinal adenomas in the Apc-~(Min/+) mice mouse model of FAR Therefore, we studied the intestinal and inguinal lymphocyte populations in Apc~(Min/+) mice and wild-type littermates. While significantly increased numbers of CD25-expressing cells were observed among Apc~(Min/+) intestinal and inguinal lymphocytes, increased numbers of Foxp3-expressing cells were found among Apc~(Min/+) intestinal but not inguinal lymphocytes. The immunological mechanism polarizing towards a regulatory T-cell phenotype by means of increased intestinal Cox-2 expression in the Apc~(Min/+) mouse merits further evaluation as a therapeutic target in prevention of intestinal tumorigenesis.