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Fig. 2 | Journal of Biomedical Science

Fig. 2

From: Intimate communications within the tumor microenvironment: stromal factors function as an orchestra

Fig. 2

CAFs modulate the immunosuppressive microenvironment. CAFs promote immune suppression and abolish immune surveillance in the TME. CAFs secrete TGFβ and CCL5 to differentiate naïve T cells into Tregs and to recruit Tregs. CCL2, IL6, and IL33 secreted by CAFs help to recruit MDSCs and strengthen their immunosuppressive function. CAFs promote NETosis and M2 polarization of TMAs in the TME by releasing amyloid β or IL8. However, TGF-β secreted by CAFs suppresses Th cell function and reduces CTL infiltration. The expression of PD-L2 and FasL induces AICD in CTLs. CAFs can suppress the DC-mediated antitumor T cell response and inactivate NK cell-mediated tumor killing by PGE2 and IDO secretion. TME: tumor microenvironment; Th: T helper cell; Treg: regulatory T cell; MDSC: myeloid-derived suppressor cell; TAM: tumor-associated macrophage; NK cell: natural killer cell; AICD: activation-induced cell death

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