BCG-activation of leukocytes is sufficient for the generation of donor-independent innate anti-tumor NK and γδ T-cells that can be further expanded in vitro.

ABSTRACT: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the nonpathogenic Mycobacterium bovis strain used as tuberculosis vaccine, has been successfully used as treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer for decades, and suggested to potentiate cellular and humoral immune responses. However, the exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. We previously described that BCG mainly activated anti-tumor cytotoxic NK cells with upregulation of CD56 and a CD16⁺ phenotype. Now, we show that stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with iBCG, a preparation based on BCG-Moreau, expands oligoclonal γδ T-cells, with a cytotoxic phenotype, together with anti-tumor CD56^high CD16⁺ NK cells. We have used scRNA-seq, flow cytometry, and functional assays to charac

SUBMITTER: Esteso G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9788708 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature