Direct and Indirect Modulation of T Cells by VEGF-A Counteracted by Anti-Angiogenic Treatment

Overview

Journal Front Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2021 Apr 15

PMID 33854498

Citations 66

Authors

Morgane Bourhis

Juliette Palle

Isabelle Galy-Fauroux

Magali Terme

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Vascular endothelial growth factor A is known to play a central role in tumor angiogenesis. Several studies showed that VEGF-A is also an immunosuppressive factor. In tumor-bearing hosts, VEGF-A can modulate immune cells (DC, MDSC, TAM) to induce the accumulation of regulatory T-cells while simultaneously inhibiting T-cell functions. Furthermore, VEGFR-2 expression on activated T-cells and FoxP3 regulatory T-cells also allow a direct effect of VEGF-A. Anti-angiogenic agents targeting VEGF-A/VEGFR contribute to limit tumor-induced immunosuppression. Based on interesting preclinical studies, many clinical trials have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of anti-VEGF-A/VEGFR treatments combined with immune checkpoint blockade leading to the approvement of these associations in different tumor locations. In this review, we focus on the impact of VEGF-A on immune cells especially regulatory and effector T-cells and different therapeutic strategies to restore an antitumor immunity.

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