Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application

Abstract The tumor-immune response is mobilized to suppress tumorigenesis, while the immune microenvironment and lymph node microenvironment are formed gradually during tumor progression. In fact, tumor surface antigens are not easily recognized by antigen-presenting cells. So it is hard for the imm...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yan Pan, Hanqiong Zhou, Zhenqiang Sun, Yichen Zhu, Zhe Zhang, Jing Han, Yang Liu, Qiming Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-04-01
Series:Cell Death and Disease
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07544-w
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849726476719489024
author Yan Pan
Hanqiong Zhou
Zhenqiang Sun
Yichen Zhu
Zhe Zhang
Jing Han
Yang Liu
Qiming Wang
author_facet Yan Pan
Hanqiong Zhou
Zhenqiang Sun
Yichen Zhu
Zhe Zhang
Jing Han
Yang Liu
Qiming Wang
author_sort Yan Pan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The tumor-immune response is mobilized to suppress tumorigenesis, while the immune microenvironment and lymph node microenvironment are formed gradually during tumor progression. In fact, tumor surface antigens are not easily recognized by antigen-presenting cells. So it is hard for the immune system to kill the newly formed tumor cells effectively. In a normal immune environment, immune function is always suppressed to maintain the stability of the body, and regulatory T cells play an important role in maintaining immune suppression. However, during tumorigenesis, the suppression of regulatory T cell immune functions is more likely to contribute to tumor cell proliferation and migration leading directly to tumor progression. Therefore, focusing on the role of regulatory T cells in tumor immunity could improve tumor immunotherapy outcomes in the clinic. Regulatory T cells are more mature in hematologic system tumors than in solid tumors. However, there are continuing efforts to apply regulatory T cells for immunotherapy in solid tumors. This review describes the role of regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy from the perspective of prognosis, immune microenvironment remodeling, and current clinical applications. This summary could help us better understand the mechanisms of regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy and further expand their clinical application.
format Article
id doaj-art-79674a4422e84556a4b95cc83d1b73ce
institution DOAJ
issn 2041-4889
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Nature Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Cell Death and Disease
spelling doaj-art-79674a4422e84556a4b95cc83d1b73ce2025-08-20T03:10:10ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-04-0116111210.1038/s41419-025-07544-wRegulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical applicationYan Pan0Hanqiong Zhou1Zhenqiang Sun2Yichen Zhu3Zhe Zhang4Jing Han5Yang Liu6Qiming Wang7Department of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Colorectal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou UniversityDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Radiation Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalDepartment of Internal Medicine, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer HospitalAbstract The tumor-immune response is mobilized to suppress tumorigenesis, while the immune microenvironment and lymph node microenvironment are formed gradually during tumor progression. In fact, tumor surface antigens are not easily recognized by antigen-presenting cells. So it is hard for the immune system to kill the newly formed tumor cells effectively. In a normal immune environment, immune function is always suppressed to maintain the stability of the body, and regulatory T cells play an important role in maintaining immune suppression. However, during tumorigenesis, the suppression of regulatory T cell immune functions is more likely to contribute to tumor cell proliferation and migration leading directly to tumor progression. Therefore, focusing on the role of regulatory T cells in tumor immunity could improve tumor immunotherapy outcomes in the clinic. Regulatory T cells are more mature in hematologic system tumors than in solid tumors. However, there are continuing efforts to apply regulatory T cells for immunotherapy in solid tumors. This review describes the role of regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy from the perspective of prognosis, immune microenvironment remodeling, and current clinical applications. This summary could help us better understand the mechanisms of regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy and further expand their clinical application.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07544-w
spellingShingle Yan Pan
Hanqiong Zhou
Zhenqiang Sun
Yichen Zhu
Zhe Zhang
Jing Han
Yang Liu
Qiming Wang
Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
Cell Death and Disease
title Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
title_full Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
title_fullStr Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
title_full_unstemmed Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
title_short Regulatory T cells in solid tumor immunotherapy: effect, mechanism and clinical application
title_sort regulatory t cells in solid tumor immunotherapy effect mechanism and clinical application
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07544-w
work_keys_str_mv AT yanpan regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT hanqiongzhou regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT zhenqiangsun regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT yichenzhu regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT zhezhang regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT jinghan regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT yangliu regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication
AT qimingwang regulatorytcellsinsolidtumorimmunotherapyeffectmechanismandclinicalapplication