The maturation of a specific subset of CD4+ T lymphocytes in the thymus is dependent on cortical thymic epithelial cells expressing the protease thymus-specific serine protease (TSSP, also known as PRSS16). Recently, we unveiled the involvement of TSSP in tumor suppression through its effect on the CD4+ T compartment.
Keywords: CD4+ T cells; TSSP; colitis-associated colorectal cancer; thymus; tumor suppression.