Cyclophosphamide treatment regulates the balance of functional/exhausted tumor-specific CD8+ T cells

Oncoimmunology. 2017 May 11;6(8):e1318234. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2017.1318234. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

An important question is how chemotherapy may (re-)activate tumor-specific immunity. In this study, we provide a phenotypic, functional and genomic analysis of tumor-specific CD8+ T cells in tumor (P815)-bearing mice, treated or not with cyclophosphamide. Our data show that chemotherapy favors the development of effector-type lymphocytes in tumor bed, characterized by higher KLRG-1 expression, lower PD-1 expression and increased cytotoxicity. This suggests re-engagement of T lymphocytes into the effector program. IFN-I appears involved in this remodeling. Our findings provide some insight into how cyclophosphamide regulates the amplitude and quality of tumor-specific immune responses.

Keywords: CD8+ T cells; cyclophosphamide; effector function; exhaustion; tumor-specific immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't