Regulatory t cells targeted by lymphotoxin alpha blocking agent and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to regulatory T cell and uses thereof. By their immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities, regulatory T cells play a central role in peripheral tolerance and thus critically prevent the development of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders. The inventors showed that Foxp3+CD4+ Tregs express high levels of LTα, which negatively regulates their immunosuppressive signature. The inventors have demonstrated that the adoptive transfer of Tregs previously incubated with soluble lymphotoxin-β receptor in mice protects from dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Thus, the number of cells to be injected in adoptive transfer may be reduced and a transfection or transduction step avoided, which represents a technical facilitation. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of treating or preventing autoimmune disorders and inflammatory-associated cancers in a subject in need thereof comprising the step of administrating to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of regulatory T cells which have been previously incubated with effective amount of soluble lymphotoxin-β receptor.