Journal article
Inclusion of BLIMP-1 effector regulatory T cells improves the Immunoscore in a cohort of New Zealand colorectal cancer patients: a pilot study
KA Ward-Hartstonge, JL McCall, TR McCulloch, AK Kamps, A Girardin, E Cretney, FM Munro, RA Kemp
Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy | SPRINGER | Published : 2017
Abstract
Analysis of tumour-infiltrating T cells in colorectal cancer can predict disease-free survival. The Immunoscore, obtained by quantifying tumour-infiltrating CD3+ and CD8+ T cells, may improve current staging. Effector regulatory T cells are a potently suppressive subset in mice and, while present in human colorectal cancer, their role in patient outcome is unknown. Immunofluorescence was used to analyse immune cell infiltrates in patients with early (stage II) colorectal cancer with (n = 13) and without (n = 19) recurrent disease. CD3 and CD8 were used for the Immunoscore; FOXP3, BLIMP-1 and CD3 to identify effector regulatory T cells. Patients with high Immunoscores had increased disease-fr..
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Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Acknowledgements
This study was funded by the Genesis Oncology Trust and Lotteries Health New Zealand. Kirsten Ward-Hartstonge was supported by the Todd Foundation for Excellence, a Brenda Shore Award for Women and a PhD scholarship from Lotteries Health New Zealand. Erika Cretney was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Fellowship and project grant #1047313. This work was made possible through Victorian State Government Operational Infrastructure Support and Australian Government NHMRC IRIIS. Adam Girardin received travel support for techniques from the Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust.