Are Anti-Inflammatory Lymphocytes Able to Induce Remission of Breast Cancer
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that inflammation is a key contributor to development of breast cancer in women. Increasing scientific and medical data point to immune cells, in particular pro-inflammatory CD4+ effector (TE) cells and anti-inflammatory CD4+regulatory (TR) cells, as pivotal mediators in human health and disease. We have previously demonstrated that antiinflammatory TR cells prevent colorectal cancer (CRC) in mice by suppressing inflammatory growth factors. We show here that transfer of pro-inflammatory TE cells or infection with pro-inflammatory intestinal bacteria Helicobacter hepaticus rapidly promotes mammary tumor development in the ApcMin/+ mouse model, and that adoptive transfer of TR cells inhibits development of inflammation-associated mammary tumors induced by either pro-inflammatory cells or intestinal bacteria in those mice. Targeting deleterious host inflammatory responses may be more effective and less toxic than traditional chemotherapeutic approaches to neoplasia. Ability to understand and harness the potency of TR cells to suppress inflammatory carcinogenic processes may prevent and ultimately abolish breast malignancies in women.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA459721
Entities
People
- Susan E. Erdman
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology