CCR2 Influences T Regulatory Cell Migration to Tumors and Serves as a Biomarker of Cyclophosphamide Sensitivity

The CCL2 chemokine receptor CCR2 drives cancer by mediating the recruitment of monocytes and myeloid-derived suppressor cells to the tumor microenvironment. In this study, we extend the significance of CCR2 in this setting by identifying a new role for it in mediating recruitment of CD4(+) T regulatory cells (Treg). Following tumor initiation, an expanded population of CCR2(+) Tregs required CCR2 expression to traffic between draining lymph nodes (dLN) and the tumor. This Treg subset was enriched in the fraction of tumor antigen-specific cells in the dLN, where they displayed an activated immunosuppressive phenotype. Notably, in mouse models, low-dose cyclophosphamide treatment preferentially depleted CCR2(+) Treg, enhancing priming of tumor-specific CD8(+) T cells. In the MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model of breast cancer and in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients, tumor development was associated with decreased blood frequency and inversely increased tumor frequency of CCR2(+) Tregs. Our results define a novel subset of CCR2(+) Treg involved in tumoral immune escape, and they offer evidence that this Treg subset may be preferentially eradicated by low-dose cyclophosphamide treatment. (C) 2016 AACR.