Immunotherapeutic potential of CD4 and CD8 single-positive T cells in thymic epithelial tumors

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 55040:Respiratory surgery-related
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Yoko 大阪大学, 医学部附属病院, 医員 (40814752)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 胸腺上皮性腫瘍 / T細胞 / 腫瘍免疫

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Indications for current immune checkpoint inhibitors are expanding and now include thymic epithelial tumors (TETs). Although clinical trials on immune checkpoint inhibitors for TETs are ongoing, a rationale has not yet been established for immunotherapy for TETs. Therefore, we herein performed phenotypic and functional analyses of T cells in surgically resected TET tissues.
By specifically focusing on CD4 and CD8 single-positive T cells, we demonstrated that T cells in B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma tissues showed favorable characteristics for anti-tumor immunity, including anti-PD-1 therapy. Our current approach will lead to future applications for the establishment of precision medicine for cancer immunotherapy, including rare tumors such as TETs.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果から、胸腺上皮性腫瘍の組織型と腫瘍免疫活性とに関連性が認められた。胸腺腫B3および胸腺癌Cでは腫瘍免疫活性が高く、免疫治療が有効となる可能性が示唆された。胸腺上皮性腫瘍に対する免疫療法の基盤となる治験が得られる結果となった。