It is generally accepted that T regulatory cells (Treg CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) play an important role in the suppression of tumour immunity. We examined the impact of Treg cell depletion with anti-CD25 antibody as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of minimal residual disease after excision of murine HPV16-associated tumours. We found that the depletion of Treg cells inhibited growth of the recurrences after surgery of HPV16-associated MHC class I+ as well as MHC class I-deficient tumours transplanted in syngeneic mice. These results demonstrate that depletion of CD25+CD4+ Treg cells can be used as an efficient adjuvant treatment improving the results of surgery in the experimental systems mimicking human MHC class I+ and MHC class I-deficient, HPV16-associated neoplasms. Therefore, this therapeutic modality is worth being examined in patients with minimal residual HPV16-associated tumour disease after surgery.

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