Dual role of tumour-infiltrating T helper 17 cells in human colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The immune contexture predicts prognosis in human colorectal cancer (CRC). Whereas tumour-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and myeloid CD16+ myeloperoxidase (MPO)+ cells are associated with favourable clinical outcome, interleukin (IL)-17-producing cells have been reported to correlate with severe prognosis. However, their phenotypes and functions continue to be debated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical relevance, phenotypes and functional features of CRC-infiltrating, IL-17-producing cells. METHODS: IL-17 staining was performed by immunohistochemistry on a tissue microarray including 1148 CRCs. Phenotypes of IL-17-producing cells were evaluated by flow cytometry on cell suspensions obtained by enzymatic digestion of clinical specimens. Functions of CRC-isolated, IL-17-producing cells were assessed by in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: IL-17+ infiltrates were not themselves predictive of an unfavourable clinical outcome, but correlated with infiltration by CD8+ T cells and CD16+ MPO+ neutrophils. Ex vivo analysis showed that tumour-infiltrating IL-17+ cells mostly consist of CD4+ T helper 17 (Th17) cells with multifaceted properties. Indeed, owing to IL-17 secretion, CRC-derived Th17 triggered the release of protumorigenic factors by tumour and tumour-associated stroma. However, on the other hand, they favoured recruitment of beneficial neutrophils through IL-8 secretion and, most importantly, they drove highly cytotoxic CCR5+CCR6+CD8+ T cells into tumour tissue, through CCL5 and CCL20 release. Consistent with these findings, the presence of intraepithelial, but not of stromal Th17 cells, positively correlated with improved survival. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows the dual role played by tumour-infiltrating Th17 in CRC, thus advising caution when developing new IL-17/Th17 targeted treatments.

Ectosomes released by platelets induce differentiation of CD4+T cells into T regulatory cells.

Accumulating evidence suggests an immune-modulatory role for platelets (PLT) and PLT-derived microvesicles. In particular, ectosomes, i.e. vesicles budding from PLT surface, have been shown to exert immunosuppressive activities on phagocytes. Here we investigated the effects mediated by PLT-derived ectosomes (PLT-Ecto) on CD4+ T cells. Exposure of activated CD4+ T cells to PLT-Ecto decreased their release of IFNγ, TNFα and IL-6, and increased the production of TGF-ß1. Concomitantly, PLT-Ecto-exposed CD4+ T cells displayed increased frequencies of CD25high Foxp3+ cells. These phenomena were dose-dependent and PLT-Ecto specific, since they were not observed in the presence of polymorphonuclear- and erythrocyte-derived ectosomes. Analysis of specific T cell subsets revealed that PLT-Ecto induced differentiation of naïve T cells into Foxp3+ cells, but had no effect on pre-differentiated Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs). Importantly, PLT-Ecto-induced Foxp3+ cells were as effective as peripheral blood Tregs in suppressing CD8+ T cell proliferation. PLT-Ecto-mediated effects were partly dependent on PLT-derived TGF-ß1, as they were to some extent inhibited by PLT-Ecto pretreatment with TGF-ß1-neutralising antibodies. Interestingly, ectosome-derived TGF-ß1 levels correlated with Foxp3+ T cell frequencies in blood of healthy donors. In conclusion, PLT-Ecto induce differentiation of CD4+ T cells towards functional Tregs. This may represent a mechanism by which PLT-Ecto enhance peripheral tolerance.