摘要：

Aim To characterize immune suppression in lymphoma, thymocyte selection゛ssociated high mobility group box protein (TOX) expression and co〆xpression with programmed cell death receptor(PD, T cell immunoglobulin mucinヾomainヽontaining(Tim, and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T (Treg) cells from patients with lymphomas were analyzed. Methods TOX expression and co〆xpression with PD Tim and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, Treg, and CD8+ T cells were analyzed by multiヽolor fluorescent flow cytometry using peripheral blood (PB) from 13 newly diagnosed, untreated lymphoma patients, and 11 healthy individuals. Results An increased percentage of TOX+ CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells was found in PB from patients with B cell non〩odgkin's lymphoma (B㎞HL) in comparison with healthy controls. Moreover, TOX+PD and TOX+Tim double﹑ositive T cells increased among the CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+T cell populations in the B㎞HL group. There was apparent heterogeneity in TOX expression and co〆xpression with PD Tim and CD244 in CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells in different lymphoma patients. In addition, the percentage of CD4+CD25+FoxP3+ T cells (Treg) among the CD3+ and CD4+ T cells significantly increased, and the number of TOX+ and TOX+PD Treg cells also significantly increased in the B㎞HL group. Conclusions Higher expression of TOX concurrent with PD Tim and CD244 in T cells from patients with B㎞HL may contribute to T cell exhaustion and impair their special anti‐tumor T cell activity. TOX may be considered a potential target for reversing T cell exhaustion and improving T cell function in hematological malignancies.

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