Co-expression of B7-H3 and LAG3 represents cytotoxicity of CD4⁺ T cells in humans.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have highlighted the potential contribution of CD4⁺ T cells with cytotoxic activity (CD4 CTLs) to anti-tumor immunity. However, their precise roles remain elusive, partly due to the absence of specific markers defining CD4 CTLs with target-killing potential in humans. We previously demonstrated that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven immortalized B cell lines efficiently induce human CD4 CTLs with cytotoxic functions comparable to cytotoxic CD8⁺ T cells (CD8 CTLs). Here we show that EBV-driven CD4 CTLs exhibit prolonged proliferation and sustained cytotoxicity compared with CD8 CTLs, although their cytotoxic function markedly decreased during long-term culture. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of CD4 CTLs with varying cytotoxic activities identified B7-

SUBMITTER: Tamura Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11893609 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature