Abstract
The important role of tumor-specific cytotoxic CD8
+
T cells is well defined in the immune control of the tumors, but the role of effector CD4
+
T cells is poorly understood. In the current research, we have used a murine retrovirus-induced tumor cell line of C57BL/6 mouse origin, namely FBL-3 cells, as a model to study basic mechanisms of immunological control and escape during tumor formation. This study shows that tumor-specific CD4
+
T cells are able to protect against virus-induced tumor cells. We show here that there is an expansion of tumor-specific CD4
+
T cells producing cytokines and cytotoxic molecule granzyme B (GzmB) in the early phase of tumor growth. Importantly, we demonstrate that in vivo depletion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD8
+
T cells in FBL-3-bearing DEREG transgenic mice augments IL-2 and GzmB production by CD4
+
T cells and increases FV-specific CD4
+
T-cell effector and cytotoxic responses leading to the complete tumor regression. Therefore, the capacity to reject tumor acquired by tumor-reactive CD4
+
T cells largely depends on the direct suppressive activity of Tregs. We suggest that a cytotoxic CD4
+
T-cell immune response may be induced to enhance resistance against oncovirus-associated tumors.