IL-7-mediated expansion of autologous lymphocytes increases CD8⁺ VLA-4 expression and accumulation in glioblastoma models.

ABSTRACT: The efficacy of T cell-activating therapies against glioma is limited by an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and tumor-induced T cell sequestration. We investigated whether peripherally infused non-antigen specific autologous lymphocytes (ALT) could accumulate in intracranial tumors. We observed that non-specific autologous CD8⁺ ALT cells can indeed accumulate in this context, despite endogenous T cell sequestration in bone marrow. Rates of intratumoral accumulation were markedly increased when expanding lymphocytes with IL-7 compared to IL-2. Pre-treatment with IL-7 ALT also enhanced the efficacy of multiple tumor-specific and non-tumor-specific T cell-dependent immunotherapies against orthotopic murine and human xenograft gliomas. Mechanistically, we detected increased

SUBMITTER: Singh K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12478354 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature