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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
In Vivo Augmentation of Gut-Homing Regulatory T Cell Induction
Published on: January 22, 2020
Gastrointestinal Foxp3 expression in normal, inflammatory and neoplastic conditions
Vincenzo Villanacci1, Tarcisio Not, Riccardo Nascimbeni
1Department of Pathology, Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy. villanacci@spedalicivili.brescia.it
Background:
Foxp3(+) regulatory T lymphocytes (T-regs) represent an important regulatory cell subset in inflammatory, preneoplastic and neoplastic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract.
Methods:
Inflammatory, preneoplastic and neoplastic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (189 cases) were studied with the evaluation of Foxp3 regulatory T cells based on immunohistochemistry.
Results:
Few Foxp3(+) cells were found in controls and inflammatory conditions (oesophagitis, gastritis, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease); in preneoplastic and neoplastic conditions the number of Foxp3(+) cells was significatively increased.
Conclusions:
In normal conditions the number of mucosal lymphocytes is very low throughout the gastro-intestinal tract; in active coeliac disease patients or on a gluten-free diet, only a slight increase in Foxp3(+) cells may be found. Gastrointestinal cancers are associated with higher Foxp3(+) cell proportion, compared with microscopically normal tissue and with precancerous conditions. However, it is uncertain whether the increase in these regulatory cells is a cause or a consequence of tumour progression.
