The change of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells of mice with different months of age and its relation with lung tumor / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the change of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells during aging and the relation with lung tumor. Methods The Lewis lung cancer model was set up in C57BL/6 female mice, and the 36 mice were divided into young health group, middle-aged health group, elderly health group, young tumor group, middle-aged tumor group and elderly tumor group. The percentages of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg in CD4+ T cells in mice spleen cells were measured by flow cytometry, for reflecting the quantity of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells. And the level of Foxp3 mRNA in splenocyte was tested by real-time PCR method. Results The level of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+/CD4+ T cells and the quantity of Foxp3 mRNA were higher in tumor groups than in healthy groups(both P＜0.05 ). Besides, in the healthy groups, there were statistical differences in the level of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+/CD4+ T cells (F=47.70, P=0.000) and the quantity of Foxp3 mRNA among the different months groups. Accumulation of the CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells was accompanied with aging, the elderly mice contained a significantly larger population of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Treg cells in their spleen when compared with the younger counterparts, and the highest was the elderly tumor group. So it was with the functional gene Foxp3 mRNA (F=6.56, P=0.009). Conclusions The results suggest a close relationship of the change of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cells with aging and the genesis and development of lung tumor.