Investigating the interactions between regulatory T cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts and their role in lung cancer progression

Abstract The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a highly complex multicellular system and has been shown to play fundamental role in dictating tumorigenesis. High expression of regulatory surface molecules, cytokines, chemokines fibroblast niches within lung stroma, paired with their colocalization infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), suggests that cancer-associated (CAF) may alter the functional response TILs influence anti-tumor immune response. Here, utilizing transcriptomic approach, we have uncovered distinct CAF population, which term “iCAFs,” enriched for immunomodulatory gene signatures, T cell ligands, chemoattractants. This population expresses unique set molecules permit identification isolation from tissue. Given demonstrated importance Tregs suppressing immunity, chose evaluate how be interacting iCAFs TME adenocarcinoma. We significant patterns Foxp3 +Tregs iCAF—a pattern was found when compared conventional CD4 +Foxp3 −T cells. Moreover, Treg +T ratio significantly decreased tissue relative normal adjacent healthy controls. Our analyses demonstrate preferentially associate iCAF populations tumor, leading us hypothesize interactions between may, turn, trafficking, phenotype function TME. T32AI106711