Tumor-associated macrophages subvert T-cell function and correlate with reduced survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Authors: Stefanie R. Dannenmann, Julia Thielicke, Martina Stöckli, Claudia Matter, Lotta von Boehmer, Virginia Cecconi, Thomas Hermanns, Lukas J. Hefermehl, Peter Schraml, Holger Moch, Alexander Knuth, Maries van den Broek - OncoImmunology 2013 cited by 168

T cells toward a more immunosuppressive phenotype, as shown by decreased production of effector cytokines, increased production of interleukin-10 (IL-10) and enhanced expression of the co-inhibitory molecules programmed death 1 (PD-1) and T-cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (TIM-3). Taken together, our data suggest that ccRCC progressively attracts macrophages and induces their skewing into M2 TAMs, in turn subverting tumor-infiltrating T cells such that immunoregulatory functions are increased at the expense of effector functions.