To determine which way NSCLC cells employed to modulate the metabolism and differentiation of CD4+ T cells, we pre-incubated CD4+ T cells with the supernatant of NSCLC cells and found that even lacking the physical cell contact, NSCLC supernatants efficiently increased the FOXP3+ Treg cell percentage and decreased Teff cell percentages in activated CD4+ T cells in a dose-dependent manner (Fig. 4A), indicating that the metabolism-modulating effect of NSCLC cells on CD4+ T cells is independent on cell-cell contact. This evidence concerns the gene FOXP3 and non-small cell lung carcinoma.