姚秀華 王中海
T細(xì)胞是淋巴細(xì)胞中數(shù)量最多、功能最復(fù)雜的一類細(xì)胞。上世紀(jì)70年代,學(xué)者意識(shí)到有一具有免疫抑制的細(xì)胞亞群存在于T細(xì)胞群中,1995年Sakaguchi[1]明確提出了調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的概念,并成功分離出了CD4+CD25+調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞亞群。按照分化抗原的不同,命名了CD1~CD166等若干個(gè)分化抗原群,其中CD4和CD8是區(qū)分成熟T細(xì)胞亞群的主要表面標(biāo)志。不同的CD4+T細(xì)胞通過分泌不同的細(xì)胞因子,對免疫系統(tǒng)的起著重要的調(diào)控作用,按不同的作用分為1型輔助性T細(xì)胞(T helper type 1 cells,Th1)、2型輔助性T細(xì)胞(T helper type 2 cells,Th2)、17型輔助性T細(xì)胞(T helper type 17 cells,Th17)、濾泡輔助性T細(xì)胞和調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞等。其中,Tregs是目前發(fā)現(xiàn)的一種具有免疫抑制功能的重要細(xì)胞亞群。叉狀頭螺旋轉(zhuǎn)錄因子被認(rèn)為是調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的特異性標(biāo)志物。以下就調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的種類及其與FOXP3的免疫機(jī)制及與腫瘤之間的關(guān)系做一闡述。
Tregs的分化場所主要在胸腺及外周,均依賴于特定細(xì)胞因子的作用。促進(jìn)其分化的主要因素包括,(1)細(xì)胞因子:包括轉(zhuǎn)化生長因子-β(transforming growth factor-13,TGF-β)、IL-2家族細(xì)胞因子(IL-2、白細(xì)胞介素-7和白細(xì)胞介素-15)、半乳糖血凝素-9(galectin-9,Gal-9)、角質(zhì)細(xì)胞生長因子(karetinocyte growth factor,KGF)。其中,TGF-β和IL-2的研究最為深入透徹,也是目前認(rèn)為對Treg細(xì)胞分化十分重要的兩種細(xì)胞因子[2-7]。(2)T細(xì)胞受體。(3)T細(xì)胞受體的下游關(guān)鍵信號(hào)分子,包括TCR→CARMA1復(fù)合物→核因子-kB(nuclear factor-kB,NF-kB)信號(hào)通路[8-11]、TCR→蛋白激酶Cθ→calcineurin→NFAT通路[12-13]、CD28。(4)非細(xì)胞因子物質(zhì),如維甲酸、芳香烴受體激動(dòng)劑等。(5)其他如micro-RNA、抗原呈遞細(xì)胞。
Tregs占外周血CD4+T細(xì)胞的5%~10%,根據(jù)其起源、效應(yīng)機(jī)制和抗原,將其分為兩類:(1)自然發(fā)生的Tregs(natural regulatory T cell,nTreg)分化場所在胸腺,在胸腺細(xì)胞成熟的過程中,一部分CD4單陽性的自身反應(yīng)性細(xì)胞因表達(dá)FOXP3而通過陰性選擇,成為Tregs。nTreg在病理性自身免疫反應(yīng)方面發(fā)揮預(yù)防作用。CD4+CD25+Treg主要指的是nTreg細(xì)胞。(2)誘導(dǎo)性的Tregs(induced regulatory T cell,iTreg)分化方式為外周分化,iTreg是由CD4+T細(xì)胞在多種條件下經(jīng)過抗原刺激后,再受到大量的TGF-β作用后發(fā)育而來,在微生物感染和移植免疫中起重要作用。Tregs分化過程完成的標(biāo)志就是FOXP3在CD4+T細(xì)胞的穩(wěn)定表達(dá)。
叉狀頭螺旋轉(zhuǎn)錄因子為XP染色體11,23染色體上的X連鎖基因,可逆轉(zhuǎn)錄誘導(dǎo)幼稚T細(xì)胞向CD4+CD25+Tregs轉(zhuǎn)換,并獲得成熟Tregs具備的抑制活性,在Tregs的發(fā)育及功能表達(dá)上起著決定性的作用,通常將其作為CD4+CD25+Tregs的特異性標(biāo)志物,其本身也在Tregs增殖、分化、免疫抑制等功能調(diào)控中處重要的核心位置[14]。
FOXP3除了在Tregs中表達(dá),也表達(dá)于普通的T細(xì)胞[15]。兩者之間主要差異在于普通的T細(xì)胞中FoxP3的表達(dá)水平較低,且為一過性表達(dá),這種一過性表達(dá)不足以令普通的T細(xì)胞具有抑制功能。普通的T細(xì)胞細(xì)胞獲得抑制能力很大程度上依賴于FOXP3表達(dá)量,這種抑制能力在敲除FOXP3后會(huì)迅速逆轉(zhuǎn)[16],編碼FOXP3基因突變對小鼠和人的影響都是致命性的[17-18]。有學(xué)者報(bào)道,小鼠產(chǎn)生的CD4+CD25+T細(xì)胞被敲除了Foxp3基因后不具備調(diào)節(jié)功能,并促進(jìn)了自身免疫性疾病的發(fā)生[19]。而通過技術(shù)使CD4+T淋巴細(xì)胞表達(dá)Foxp3,獲得的Tregs可具有與nTreg相同的表型和功能[20]。越來越多的學(xué)者認(rèn)同,F(xiàn)OXP3穩(wěn)定的高水平表達(dá)是Tregs發(fā)揮抑制功能的必備條件,但表觀遺傳修飾和其他轉(zhuǎn)錄因子(如活化T細(xì)胞核因子、Runx1和ROR-γt)的協(xié)作對穩(wěn)定Treg細(xì)胞的表型和功能特性也是必不可少。
自身免疫耐受是指機(jī)體的免疫系統(tǒng)具有識(shí)別、清除異己,同時(shí)又避免與機(jī)體本身的成份發(fā)生反應(yīng)的能力。某些自身反應(yīng)性T細(xì)胞可以逃避克隆消除,識(shí)別外周組織抗原,引起自身免疫反應(yīng)。自身應(yīng)答T細(xì)胞克隆與相應(yīng)組織抗原并存,在正常情況下,不引起自身免疫性疾病的狀態(tài),稱為免疫忽視。過度的免疫忽視或免疫監(jiān)控失調(diào)稱之為免疫逃逸,是腫瘤發(fā)生的分子生物學(xué)基礎(chǔ)。Tregs FOXP3重要是通過下述機(jī)制發(fā)揮免疫抑制功能。
1.通過細(xì)胞因子發(fā)揮抑制作用:腫瘤的發(fā)生、發(fā)展是一個(gè)復(fù)雜的病理生理過程,包含多個(gè)分子事件。在腫瘤微環(huán)境中,調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞分泌多種抑制性細(xì)胞因子,干擾抗原呈遞,抑制免疫活性細(xì)胞的增殖及淋巴細(xì)胞的分化、同時(shí)促進(jìn)抗凋亡分子的表達(dá),使腫瘤細(xì)胞能抵御免疫效應(yīng)細(xì)胞的誘導(dǎo)凋亡的作用。這一機(jī)制被認(rèn)為是Tregs發(fā)揮抑制作用的主要機(jī)制之一。這些細(xì)胞因子包括IL-10、TGF-β和IL-35,均由Tregs分泌釋放。研究證實(shí),IL-10和TGF-β是Tregs發(fā)揮抑制作用不可缺少的一環(huán)[21]。TGF-β一方面可抑制機(jī)體的免疫功能;另一方面可以令腫瘤細(xì)胞逃脫免疫效應(yīng)細(xì)胞的識(shí)別和偵察。有學(xué)者[22-24]發(fā)現(xiàn),Tregs可以通過分泌TGF-β來抑制自然殺傷細(xì)胞的細(xì)胞毒性作用,從而抑制免疫應(yīng)答,使腫瘤細(xì)胞賴以存活。IL-35是IL-12家族的新成員,敲除小鼠的IL-35后,其調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的功能受到明顯的抑制。
2.通過粒酶介導(dǎo)的細(xì)胞溶解發(fā)揮抑制作用:特定的條件下,Tregs可分泌顆粒酶或穿孔素導(dǎo)致代謝受阻來誘導(dǎo)細(xì)胞的裂解死亡。調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的細(xì)胞溶解機(jī)制在人類由顆粒酶A介導(dǎo),在小鼠由顆粒酶B介導(dǎo)。
3.在腫瘤局部腫瘤細(xì)胞與Treg細(xì)胞相互作用:Tregs表面的細(xì)胞毒T淋巴細(xì)胞相關(guān)抗原4,能與樹突狀細(xì)胞表面的CD80、CD86結(jié)合,并向效應(yīng)性T細(xì)胞傳遞抑制性信號(hào),抑制樹突狀細(xì)胞的成熟,減弱樹突狀細(xì)胞的抗原遞呈效應(yīng),最終減弱效應(yīng)T細(xì)胞的活化,削弱其抗腫瘤抗原效應(yīng)[25-26]。
Tregs可高度表達(dá)CCL22受體,而大部分的腫瘤細(xì)胞可分泌CCL22,因此,能夠使Tregs向腫瘤細(xì)胞周圍聚集和擴(kuò)增。在乳腺癌中,CCL22可能可作為乳腺癌預(yù)后評(píng)定的指標(biāo)之一[27]。
4.通過阻斷代謝消耗IL-2:IL-2是效應(yīng)細(xì)胞(如CD4+和CD8+T淋巴細(xì)胞)生長所必需的因子,也是正向調(diào)控免疫應(yīng)答的重要細(xì)胞因子。Tregs通過在其表面高度表達(dá)IL-2受體從而直接消耗大量IL-2,導(dǎo)致T細(xì)胞凋亡,產(chǎn)生競爭性抑制的作用[28]。
5.Tregs:FOXP3表達(dá)的調(diào)控機(jī)制:FOXP3在CD4+CD25+Treg發(fā)育和功能中起著關(guān)鍵的作用。FOXP3基因位點(diǎn)上有很多遺傳保守非編碼序列參與FOXP3基因的調(diào)控,能提高Tregs FOXP3的表達(dá)。FOXP3能通過下調(diào)激活T細(xì)胞核因子、核因子KB的活性負(fù)向調(diào)節(jié)T細(xì)胞中細(xì)胞因子基因的表達(dá),而發(fā)揮其免疫抑制作用。
多項(xiàng)研究顯示,多種腫瘤如惡性黑色素瘤、結(jié)腸癌、卵巢癌、胃癌患者,外周血及腫瘤局部微環(huán)境中存在Tregs數(shù)量及比例升高,且與腫瘤的進(jìn)展程度及不良預(yù)后正相關(guān)[29-31]。Christoph等[32]對比宮頸癌和惡性黑色素瘤、結(jié)腸癌、支氣管癌患者腫瘤組織中浸潤淋巴細(xì)胞平均量,發(fā)現(xiàn)宮頸癌、CIN和支氣管癌浸潤C(jī)D4+和CD8+T細(xì)胞的總體數(shù)量明顯高于結(jié)腸癌、惡性黑色素瘤。分析原因可能為98%的宮頸癌是由于HPV病毒引起,由于其增加的內(nèi)源性抗原,需要特別靈活和強(qiáng)大的免疫防御系統(tǒng),因此,宮頸癌中有大量Tregs的存在。
相關(guān)實(shí)驗(yàn)表明,應(yīng)用治療性腫瘤疫苗時(shí),可同時(shí)清除體內(nèi)的Tregs且能夠明顯增強(qiáng)抗腫瘤治療的效果[33]。臨床數(shù)據(jù)顯示,設(shè)法刪除或阻斷CD4+CD25+Tregs的功能是新型抗腫瘤免疫治療策略中不可缺少的重要組成部分。針對惡性腫瘤的治療目的,調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞的失活,似乎是一個(gè)有前途的且具有挑戰(zhàn)性的任務(wù)。因?yàn)檎{(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞和其他T細(xì)胞共享大多數(shù)受體。Ko等[34]把一種激動(dòng)性抗體結(jié)合到小鼠GITR,在靜息T細(xì)胞GITR受體低水平表達(dá),但在Tregs組成型表達(dá)并立即上調(diào)細(xì)胞毒性T細(xì)胞活性。小鼠的Tregs通過GITR觸發(fā)相對應(yīng)的抗原特異性刺激廢除他們的抑制作用。在幾個(gè)小鼠腫瘤模型中抗GITR抗體(DTA1)的系統(tǒng)應(yīng)用誘發(fā)明顯甚至腫瘤的完全破壞。為此,我們期待,調(diào)節(jié)性T細(xì)胞、FOXP3可能可作為腫瘤治療的一個(gè)靶點(diǎn)。
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