Tumour-reactive heterotypic CD8 T cell clusters from clinical samples.

ABSTRACT: Emerging evidence suggests a correlation between CD8⁺ T cell-tumour cell proximity and anti-tumour immune response^1,2. However, it remains unclear whether these cells exist as functional clusters that can be isolated from clinical samples. Here, using conventional and imaging flow cytometry, we show that from 21 out of 21 human melanoma metastases, we could isolate heterotypic clusters, comprising CD8⁺ T cells interacting with one or more tumour cells and/or antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that T cells from clusters were enriched for gene signatures associated with tumour reactivity and exhaustion. Clustered T cells exhibited increased TCR clonality indicative of expansion, whereas TCR-matched T cells showed mor

SUBMITTER: Ibanez-Molero S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12779571 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature