CD8⁺ T cells in breast cancer tumors and draining lymph nodes: PD-1 levels, effector functions and prognostic relevance.

ABSTRACT: CD8⁺ T cells shape the antitumor immune response. Here, we evaluated CD8⁺ T cells expressing different levels of PD-1, their functional status, and distribution in different tissues of luminal breast cancer (BC) patients. We characterized the exhaustion stages of CD8⁺ T cells in tumors, juxtatumoral tissues (JTs), and tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs). Terminal exhausted CD8⁺ T cells (PD-1^High CD8⁺) were predominant in tumors and nearly absent in other tissues. However, in all tissues evaluated, most CD8⁺ T cells exhibited a pre-exhausted phenotype (PD-1^Int CD8⁺) or did not express PD-1. PD-1^High and PD-1^Int CD8⁺ T cells from tumors and JTs presented central

SUBMITTER: Abrate C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12077459 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature