Open AccessT‐cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 blockade drives an antitumor immune response in head and neck cancer
Author(s) -
Liu JianFeng,
Ma SiRui,
Mao Liang,
Bu LinLin,
Yu GuangTao,
Li YiCun,
Huang CongFa,
Deng WeiWei,
Kulkarni Ashok B.,
Zhang WenFeng,
Sun ZhiJun
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
molecular oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.332
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1878-0261
pISSN - 1574-7891
DOI - 10.1002/1878-0261.12029
Subject(s) - head and neck squamous cell carcinoma , cancer research , medicine , immune system , antibody , immunotherapy , t cell , cd8 , cd44 , cancer , immunology , head and neck cancer , cell , biology , genetics
T‐cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 ( TIM 3) contributes to immune suppression during progression of many cancers, but the precise role of TIM 3 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma ( HNSCC ) is not clearly understood. In this study, we report that TIM 3 expression was significantly up‐regulated in patients with HNSCC and associated with lymph node metastasis. Additionally, TIM 3 expression was increased in patients with recurrent HNSCC and patients with preradiotherapy or prechemotherapy. We also characterized CD 8 + T cells and CD 11b + CD 33 + myeloid‐derived suppressor cells ( MDSC s) in human HNSCC , and found that their expression was positively correlated with TIM 3 expression. To determine the underlying mechanism of TIM 3 in immune response during HNSCC progression, we utilized the Tgfbr1/Pten 2c KO HNSCC mouse model with TIM 3 overexpression. Treatment with anti‐ TIM 3 monoclonal antibody effectively suppressed tumor growth through restoring effector T‐cell function by targeting CD 4 + TIM 3 + cells and CD 8 + TIM 3 + cells and decreasing MDSC s. Our findings demonstrate TIM 3 expression in patients with HNSCC and suggest anti‐ TIM 3 immunotherapy as a novel therapeutic approach for effective treatment of HNSCC .