Rapid Identification of the Tumor-Specific Reactive TIL Repertoire via Combined Detection of CD137, TNF, and IFNϒ, Following Recognition of Autologous Tumor-Antigens

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Detecting the entire repertoire of tumor-specific reactive tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is essential for investigating their immunological functions in the tumor microenvironment. Current in vitro assays identifying tumor-specific functional activation measure the upregulation of surface molecules, de novo production of antitumor cytokines, or mobilization of cytotoxic granules following recognition of tumor-antigens, yet there is no widely adopted standard method. Here we established an enhanced, yet simple, method for identifying simultaneously CD8+ and CD4+ tumor-specific reactive TILs in vitro, using a combination of widely known and available flow cytometry assays. By combining the detection of intracellular CD137 and de novo production of TNF and IFNγ after recognition of naturally-presented tumor antigens, we demonstrate that a larger fraction of tumor-specific and reactive CD8+ TILs can be detected in vitro compared to commonly used assays. This assay revealed multiple polyfunctionality-based clusters of both CD4+ and CD8+ tumor-specific reactive TILs. In situ, the combined detection of TNFRSF9, TNF, and IFNG identified most of the tumor-specific reactive TIL repertoire. In conclusion, we describe a straightforward method for efficient identification of the tumor-specific reactive TIL repertoire in vitro, which can be rapidly adopted in most cancer immunology laboratories.

Original languageEnglish
Article number705422
JournalFrontiers in Immunology
Volume12
Number of pages13
ISSN1664-3224
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Draghi, Chamberlain, Khan, Papp, Lauss, Soraggi, Radic, Presti, Harbst, Gokuldass, Kverneland, Nielsen, Westergaard, Andersen, Csabai, Jönsson, Szallasi, Svane and Donia.

    Research areas

  • CD137 (4-1BB), immune-monitoring, immune-responses to cancer, single-cell technologies, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), tumor-specific activation, tumor-specific reactivity

ID: 302067730