Soluble and membrane-bound TGF-β-mediated regulation of intratumoral T cell differentiation and function in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

While the effect of TGF-β on malignant B cells in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) has been previously evaluated, studies to specifically define the role of TGF-β in tumor immunity in B-cell NHL are limited. We found that soluble TGF-β, secreted by both lymphoma cells and intratumoral T cells, is present in the serum of patients with B-cell NHL. Soluble TGF-β promoted regulatory T (T(reg)) cells by enhancing expression of Foxp3 in CD4(+) T cells and suppressed effector helper T (T(H)) cells by inhibiting expression of IFN-γ and IL-17.