The critical contribution of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Treg) to immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment is well-established. Whereas the mechanisms that drive the generation and accumulation of Treg in tumors have been an active area of study, the information on their origin and population dynamics remains limited. In this review, we discuss the ontogeny of tumor-associated Treg in light of the recently identified lineage markers.
Keywords: Immune therapy; T-regulatory cell; ontogeny; peripheral Treg; thymic Treg; tumor.