Repurposing CD8+ T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 for cancer immunotherapy: a positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Shashi Gujar; Jonathan G Pol; Youra Kim; Guido Kroemer

doi:10.1080/2162402X.2020.1794424

Repurposing CD8⁺ T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 for cancer immunotherapy: a positive aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Oncoimmunology. 2020 Jul 16;9(1):1794424. doi: 10.1080/2162402X.2020.1794424.

Authors

Shashi Gujar^{1

2

3

4}, Jonathan G Pol^{5

6

7}, Youra Kim¹, Guido Kroemer^{5

6

7

8

9

10

11}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
² Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
³ Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
⁴ Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, Halifax, NS, Canada.
⁵ Equipe 11 Labellisée Par la Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM U1138, Université de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.
⁶ Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.
⁷ Metabolomics and Cell Biology Platforms, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France.
⁸ Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France.
⁹ Pôle de Biologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, AP-HP, Paris, France.
¹⁰ Suzhou Institute for Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Suzhou, China.
¹¹ Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has afflicted most countries on the planet. As a result, immunity against SARS-CoV-2, induced via natural infections or imminent vaccinations, is expected to develop in a large fraction of the global population. Here, we propose to exploit SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8⁺ T cells for cancer immunotherapy strategies.

Keywords: CD8+ T cell epitopes; SARS-CoV-2; antigen spreading; antiviral immunity; cancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Viral / immunology
Antibodies, Viral / metabolism
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / transplantation*
COVID-19 / blood
COVID-19 / epidemiology
COVID-19 / immunology*
COVID-19 / prevention & control
COVID-19 Vaccines / administration & dosage
Host Microbial Interactions / immunology
Humans
Immunologic Memory
Immunotherapy / methods*
Neoplasms / immunology
Neoplasms / therapy*
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*

Substances

Antibodies, Viral
COVID-19 Vaccines

Grants and funding

CIHR/Canada