肿瘤驻留 T 细胞与 NK 细胞表面刺激性与抑制性共受体的深度表型分析揭示肿瘤反应性 CTL 群体中由 NKG2A 表达独特界定的细胞亚群

The field of Immuno-Oncology (IO) is evolving to utilise novel antibody backbones that can co-target multiple cell-surface stimulatory and inhibitory co-receptors (SICR). This approach necessitates a better understanding of SICR co-expression at the single-cell level on IO-relevant tumor-infiltrating leukocyte (TIL) cell types such as T and natural killer (NK) cells.

Using high-dimensional flow cytometry we established a comprehensive SICR profile for tumor-resident T and NK cells across a range of human solid tumors where there is a clear need for improved immunotherapeutic intervention. Leveraging the power of our large flow panel, we performed deep-phenotyping of the critical CD8 + CD39 + Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte (CTL) population that is enriched for tumor-reactive cytotoxic cells, revealing subsets that are differentiated by their SICR profile, including three that are uniquely defined by NKG2A expression.

This study establishes a comprehensive SICR phenotype for human TIL T and NK cells, providing insights to guide the design and application of the next generation of IO molecules.