Dual Immune Checkpoint Blockade Induces Analogous Alterations in the Dysfunctional CD8+ T-cell and Activated Treg Compartment.

ABSTRACT: To dissect the effect of neoadjuvant PD-1 and CTLA4 blockade on intratumoral T cells in treatment-naive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, we analyzed primary tumor immune infiltrates from responding and nonresponding patients. At baseline, a higher ratio between active (4-1BB/OX40+) and inactive regulatory CD4+ T cells was associated with immunotherapy response. Furthermore, upon therapy, this active regulatory T-cell (Treg) population showed a profound decrease in responding patients. In an analogous process, intratumoral dysfunctional CD8+ T cells displayed decreased expression of activity and dysfunction-related genes in responding patients, whereas in clinical nonresponders, natural killer cells showed an increased cytotoxic profile early upon treatment. These data reveal immunolo

SUBMITTER: van der Leun AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10551666 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature