Journal Articles

FasL-mediated death of activated intratumoral T cells drives secondary resistance to cancer immunotherapy

(1) Qing C (2) Ghorani E (3) Foster KA (4) Uddin I (5) Beattie G (6) Costoya C (7) Galvez-Cancino F (8) Walczak H (9) Amann M (10) Peggs KS (11) Quezada SA

Cancer immunology research

Qing and Ghorani et al. explored mechanisms underlying secondary resistance (2°R) to therapy (Treg depletion via anti-CD25 mAb + GM-CSF-expressing tumor cell vaccine) in B16 tumor- bearing mice. At 2°R, the TME had reductions in activated, cycling, and effector T cells compared to at PR, and the activated T cells showed evidence of clonal expansion, tumor-specific TCR engagement, and Fas/death receptor (DR) expression. Adding anti-FasL + repeated anti-CD25 dosing to the therapeutic regimen extended survival. In patients receiving ICB, T cell activation also correlated with DR expression, and these T cells tended to become lost over time.

Contributed by Alex Najibi

(1) Qing C (2) Ghorani E (3) Foster KA (4) Uddin I (5) Beattie G (6) Costoya C (7) Galvez-Cancino F (8) Walczak H (9) Amann M (10) Peggs KS (11) Quezada SA

Cancer immunology research

Qing and Ghorani et al. explored mechanisms underlying secondary resistance (2°R) to therapy (Treg depletion via anti-CD25 mAb + GM-CSF-expressing tumor cell vaccine) in B16 tumor- bearing mice. At 2°R, the TME had reductions in activated, cycling, and effector T cells compared to at PR, and the activated T cells showed evidence of clonal expansion, tumor-specific TCR engagement, and Fas/death receptor (DR) expression. Adding anti-FasL + repeated anti-CD25 dosing to the therapeutic regimen extended survival. In patients receiving ICB, T cell activation also correlated with DR expression, and these T cells tended to become lost over time.

Contributed by Alex Najibi

ABSTRACT: Cancer progression following an initial response to immunotherapy (secondary resistance; 2°R) is a major and poorly understood problem. We treated mice bearing B16 melanoma with a combination of a regulatory T cell (Treg) depleting, non-IL-2 blocking antibody (anti-CD25NIB) and an autologous cancer cell vaccine (GVAX). The regimen yielded initial tumor shrinkage followed by 2°R; lethal progression occurred in ~90% of partially responsive (PR) tumors by days 35-50. Cell lines derived from 2°R tumors retained treatment sensitivity upon re-implantation into naïve mice, suggesting resistance was related to a loss of immune control over time. Profiling PR and 2°R tumors by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA/TCR sequencing, we found that activated CD8⁺ T cells with tumor-reactive features declined in abundance, whereas non-activated T cells and Tregs increased. Activated CD8⁺ cells showed heightened TCR stimulation, clonal expansion, and expression of apoptotic signatures and death receptors, including Fas. Their loss was not explained by lymph node accumulation or differentiation to non-activated states. These findings were validated in a clinically relevant MC38 colon carcinoma model treated with anti-PD-L1 checkpoint blockade, confirming that depletion of activated, tumor-reactive clones is a shared mechanism of 2°R across therapeutic modalities. Fas ligand (FasL) blockade reversed this loss and prolonged survival. Longitudinal transcriptional and tissue staining data from human checkpoint blockade studies similarly indicated that activated T cells decline in abundance over time and at 2°R. These findings implicate death of activated T cells as a mechanism of 2°R and suggest Fas-FasL blockade may extend response durability.

Author Info: (1) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (2) University College London Cancer Institute, London United Kingdom. (3) Dana-Farber Cancer In

Author Info: (1) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (2) University College London Cancer Institute, London United Kingdom. (3) Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston United States. ROR: https://ror.org/02jzgtq86 (4) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (5) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (6) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (7) University of Oxford Oxford United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/052gg0110 (8) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895 (9) Roche (Switzerland) Schlieren Switzerland. ROR: https://ror.org/00by1q217 (10) University College London Cancer Institute, London United Kingdom. (11) University College London London United Kingdom. ROR: https://ror.org/02jx3x895

Citation: Cancer Immunol Res 2026 Sep 15 Epub09/15/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42743199

Tags:

Reprogramming engineered autologous T cells to overcome resistance in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma

(1) Asano Y (2) Veatch JR (3) Sung CJ (4) Tang TH (5) Mazziotta F (6) Natsuki S (7) McAfee M (8) Bakhtiari J (9) Lee B (10) Martin L (11) Rizzi A (12) Zhang T (13) Smith CW (14) Paulson KG (15) Schmitt TM (16) Newell EW (17) Elz AE (18) Chen DG (19) Su Y (20) Gustafson HH (21) Yeung CCS (22) Seaton B (23) Hunter D (24) Koelle DM (25) Bhatia S (26) Hall ET (27) Voillet V (28) Cao J (29) Gooley T (30) Greenberg PD (31) Gottardo R (32) Oda SK (33) Nghiem P (34) Chapuis AG

Science translational medicine

Asano, Veatch, and Sung et al. identified TCRMCC1, a high-avidity HLA-A*02:01-restricted TCR targeting Merkel cell polyomavirus large-T antigen and treated seven patients who had ICI-refractory metastatic MCC using autologous TCRMCC1-transduced T cells plus ICB. TTCR-MCC1 cells trafficked to tumors and induced regression in two patients, but HLA class I silencing limited activity. In one patient, delayed regression coincided with endogenous effector T cell activation and restored tumor HLA expression. TTCR-MCC1 cells armored with CD8αβ and a CD200R-CD28 switch receptor showed enhanced tumor infiltration, HLA expression, and control of HLA-low MCC in vivo.

Contributed by Shishir Pant

(1) Asano Y (2) Veatch JR (3) Sung CJ (4) Tang TH (5) Mazziotta F (6) Natsuki S (7) McAfee M (8) Bakhtiari J (9) Lee B (10) Martin L (11) Rizzi A (12) Zhang T (13) Smith CW (14) Paulson KG (15) Schmitt TM (16) Newell EW (17) Elz AE (18) Chen DG (19) Su Y (20) Gustafson HH (21) Yeung CCS (22) Seaton B (23) Hunter D (24) Koelle DM (25) Bhatia S (26) Hall ET (27) Voillet V (28) Cao J (29) Gooley T (30) Greenberg PD (31) Gottardo R (32) Oda SK (33) Nghiem P (34) Chapuis AG

Science translational medicine

Asano, Veatch, and Sung et al. identified TCRMCC1, a high-avidity HLA-A*02:01-restricted TCR targeting Merkel cell polyomavirus large-T antigen and treated seven patients who had ICI-refractory metastatic MCC using autologous TCRMCC1-transduced T cells plus ICB. TTCR-MCC1 cells trafficked to tumors and induced regression in two patients, but HLA class I silencing limited activity. In one patient, delayed regression coincided with endogenous effector T cell activation and restored tumor HLA expression. TTCR-MCC1 cells armored with CD8αβ and a CD200R-CD28 switch receptor showed enhanced tumor infiltration, HLA expression, and control of HLA-low MCC in vivo.

Contributed by Shishir Pant

ABSTRACT: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) outcomes, but most patients with MCC develop resistance. We identified T cell receptor (TCR)MCC1, a highly avid, HLA-A*02:01-restricted TCR targeting the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) oncoprotein large-T antigen15-23. Seven patients with ICI-refractory metastatic MCPyV+ MCC received TCRMCC1-transduced cells (TTCR-MCC1 cells) after lymphodepleting chemotherapy or HLA-enhancing interventions [radiation or interferon gamma-1b (Actimmune)], with concurrent ICIs (NCT03747484). TTCR-MCC1 cells trafficked to tumor sites and expressed a gene expression profile compatible with T cell activation, with tumor regression observed in two patients. However, therapeutic activity was limited by HLA class I silencing, a common mechanism of immune escape in MCC. In one patient, delayed tumor regression coincided with endogenous effector immune activation and restoration of MCC HLA expression, implying that robust local responses could reverse HLA silencing. To overcome this barrier, we engineered CD4 and CD8 TTCR-MCC1 cells to coexpress CD8αβ and a CD200R-CD28 switch receptor, enabling CD4 T cell engagement and T cell costimulation. These modifications enhanced tumor infiltration, increased HLA expression, and improved control of HLAlow MCC in vivo in mice. These findings support the feasibility of TCR-engineered cell therapy for MCPyV+ MCC and provide a blueprint for overcoming immune evasion via targeted localized enhancement of antigen presentation.

Author Info: (1) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (2) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Can

Author Info: (1) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (2) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (3) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (4) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (5) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (6) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (7) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (8) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (9) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (10) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (11) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (12) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (13) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (14) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (15) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (16) Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (17) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (18) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (19) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (20) Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. (21) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (22) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (23) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (24) Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Global Health, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Benaroya Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98101, USA. (25) Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (26) Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (27) Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (28) Shared Resources, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (29) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. (30) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94129, USA. (31) Biomedical Data Science Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, 1010 Lausanne, Switzerland. University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. School of Life Sciences, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. (32) Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. (33) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. Department of Dermatology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. (34) Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA. Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.

Citation: Sci Transl Med 2026 Sep 9 18:eaea8773 Epub09/09/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42715345

Tags:

γδ T cells modulate anti-tumor immunity in small cell lung cancer

(1) Ng J (2) You Y (3) Zhang TZ (4) Hess JB (5) Best SA (6) Caneborg A (7) Schmiel M (8) Diepstraten ST (9) Spelman T (10) Gray JI (11) Godfrey DI (12) Wu Y (13) Tothill RW (14) Anttila CJA (15) Baldwin TM (16) Naik SH (17) Amann-Zalcenstein D (18) Kersbergen AJ (19) Leong TL (20) George J (21) Ritchie ME (22) Gherardin NA (23) Koay HF (24) Hickey PF (25) Steinfort D (26) Sutherland KD

Cancer cell

Using scRNA sequencing, Ng et al. compared LN biopsy samples (non-affected vs. tumor-affected) from SCLC patients to study the antitumor role of MHC-I-independent pathways. Despite being PD-1+, γδ T cells were cytotoxic, infiltrated patient samples, and predicted better outcomes with anti-PD-L1 in patients with high levels of γδ T cells. In preclinical models, γδ T cells were as effective as CD8+ T cells in tarlatamab (DLL3–CD3 BiTE)-redirected SCLC killing, while zoledronate sensitized SCLC cells to Vδ2+ T cell-mediated killing and promoted spontaneous γδ T cell-mediated MHC-I-independent SCLC killing that required BTN2A1.

Contributed by Katherine Turner

(1) Ng J (2) You Y (3) Zhang TZ (4) Hess JB (5) Best SA (6) Caneborg A (7) Schmiel M (8) Diepstraten ST (9) Spelman T (10) Gray JI (11) Godfrey DI (12) Wu Y (13) Tothill RW (14) Anttila CJA (15) Baldwin TM (16) Naik SH (17) Amann-Zalcenstein D (18) Kersbergen AJ (19) Leong TL (20) George J (21) Ritchie ME (22) Gherardin NA (23) Koay HF (24) Hickey PF (25) Steinfort D (26) Sutherland KD

Cancer cell

Using scRNA sequencing, Ng et al. compared LN biopsy samples (non-affected vs. tumor-affected) from SCLC patients to study the antitumor role of MHC-I-independent pathways. Despite being PD-1+, γδ T cells were cytotoxic, infiltrated patient samples, and predicted better outcomes with anti-PD-L1 in patients with high levels of γδ T cells. In preclinical models, γδ T cells were as effective as CD8+ T cells in tarlatamab (DLL3–CD3 BiTE)-redirected SCLC killing, while zoledronate sensitized SCLC cells to Vδ2+ T cell-mediated killing and promoted spontaneous γδ T cell-mediated MHC-I-independent SCLC killing that required BTN2A1.

Contributed by Katherine Turner

ABSTRACT: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive neoplasm with limited sensitivity to anti-PD-(L)1 blockade, which is likely caused by the epigenetic silencing of MHC-I. Elucidating MHC-I-independent immune recognition mechanisms is therefore crucial for enhancing treatment responses and improving clinical outcomes in a greater number of patients. Leveraging single-cell approaches, we discovered γδ T cell infiltration in biospecimens from patients with SCLC. Despite PD-1 expression, γδ T cells maintained a cytotoxic transcriptional profile, suggesting an anti-tumor role. Indeed, high γδ T cell infiltration in two practice-changing clinical trials predicted improved response to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in patients with SCLC. Moreover, using preclinical models, we demonstrated that γδ T cells are effective at tarlatamab (delta-like ligand 3 [DLL3]-CD3 bispecific T cell engager [BiTE])-redirected SCLC killing and that zoledronate, an FDA-approved compound, can sensitize SCLC cells to γδ T cell-mediated killing. Thus, our findings suggest that engaged γδ T cells are potentially valuable targets for SCLC therapy.

Author Info: (1) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The Univers

Author Info: (1) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: ng.ji@wehi.edu.au. (2) Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Genetics and Gene Regulation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (3) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. (4) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. (5) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. (6) Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. (7) Department of Translational Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and University of Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany. (8) Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Blood Cells and Blood Cancer Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (9) Clinical Translation, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; School of Medicine, Adelaide University, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Centre for Health Services Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia. (10) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA. (11) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. (12) Centre for Inflammation Biology and Cancer Immunology, King's College London, London SE1 9RT, UK; Department of Medical Oncology, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK. (13) Collaborative Centre for Genomic Cancer Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. (14) WEHI Advanced Genomics Facility and Single Cell Open Research Endeavour (SCORE), Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (15) WEHI Advanced Genomics Facility and Single Cell Open Research Endeavour (SCORE), Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (16) Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Immunology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (17) WEHI Advanced Genomics Facility and Single Cell Open Research Endeavour (SCORE), Advanced Technology and Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (18) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (19) Department of Respiratory Medicine, Austin Health, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia; Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. (20) Department of Translational Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany; Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University Hospital of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany. (21) Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Genetics and Gene Regulation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (22) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. (23) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia. (24) Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Genetics and Gene Regulation Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. (25) Department of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia. (26) ACRF Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: sutherland.k@wehi.edu.au.

Citation: Cancer Cell 2026 Sep 18 Epub09/18/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42759517

Tags:

A serpin-myeloid axis in pancreatic cancer heterogeneity and immune evasion

(1) Falcomatà C (2) Schaefer MM (3) Singh B (4) Chhamalwan D (5) Tepper A (6) Nielsen SR (7) Potak HT (8) Dhainaut M (9) Mollaoglu G (10) Park MD (11) Merad M (12) Baccarini A (13) Brown BD

Nature

Falcomatà et al. used perturb-map spatial functional genomics to identify tumor-derived extracellular factors that promote PDAC immune evasion. SERPINE1 (encoding PAI1) and SERPINB2 promoted fibrin-rich ECM niches that retained and polarized macrophages toward immunosuppressive states while excluding cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Loss of serpins or pharmacologic inhibition of PAI1 improved tumor control and sensitized orthotopic KPC PDAC tumors to anti-PD-1. In human PDACs, SERPINB1/2-expressing tumor cells were embedded within immunosuppressive niches enriched with SPP1+MARCO+ macrophages.

Contributed by Shishir Pant

(1) Falcomatà C (2) Schaefer MM (3) Singh B (4) Chhamalwan D (5) Tepper A (6) Nielsen SR (7) Potak HT (8) Dhainaut M (9) Mollaoglu G (10) Park MD (11) Merad M (12) Baccarini A (13) Brown BD

Nature

Falcomatà et al. used perturb-map spatial functional genomics to identify tumor-derived extracellular factors that promote PDAC immune evasion. SERPINE1 (encoding PAI1) and SERPINB2 promoted fibrin-rich ECM niches that retained and polarized macrophages toward immunosuppressive states while excluding cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Loss of serpins or pharmacologic inhibition of PAI1 improved tumor control and sensitized orthotopic KPC PDAC tumors to anti-PD-1. In human PDACs, SERPINB1/2-expressing tumor cells were embedded within immunosuppressive niches enriched with SPP1+MARCO+ macrophages.

Contributed by Shishir Pant

ABSTRACT: Pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by a highly immunosuppressive, extracellular matrix-rich microenvironment, yet tumours display marked heterogeneity(1-4). This raises the question of whether immune resistance is a global tumour property or is organized within spatially restricted niches. Here, using Perturb-map spatial functional genomics, we determine how different genes shape the growth and cellular environments of PDAC clones across space and time. This analysis revealed early gene-driven remodelling of local immune neighbourhoods preceding late-stage spatial clonal dominance. We identify SERPINE1 (encoding plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1)) and SERPINB2 (encoding PAI2) as dominant regulators of tumour microenvironment control and immune evasion. These serpins promote stabilization of fibrin-rich extracellular matrix niches that spatially retain and programme macrophages towards immunosuppressive states while excluding cytotoxic T cells. Loss of Serpine1 or Serpinb2, or pharmacological inhibition of PAI1 or CD18, improves tumour control in mice and synergizes with anti-PD-1. Multimodal spatial analysis of patient tumours revealed that immunosuppressive niches form around rare SERPINB2- and SERPINE1-expressing PDAC subpopulations, dominated by SPP1+/MARCO+ macrophages. These findings identify cancer-derived SERPINE1 and SERPINB2 as local spatial organizers of immune suppression, linking tumour-intrinsic heterogeneity to local microenvironmental control and immunotherapy resistance in PDAC.

Author Info: (1) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

Author Info: (1) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (2) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (3) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (4) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (5) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (6) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (7) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (8) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (9) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (10) Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (11) Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (12) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. (13) Icahn Genomics Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. brian.brown@mssm.edu. Precision Immunology Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. brian.brown@mssm.edu. Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. brian.brown@mssm.edu. Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. brian.brown@mssm.edu.

Citation: Nature 2026 Sep 9 Epub09/09/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42717081

Tags:

PLA2G2D in tumour-draining lymph nodes regulates anti-tumour immunity

(1) van Krimpen A (2) Huang J (3) Eterman M (4) Gerretsen V (5) Umetani M (6) Janssen JC (7) van Nimwegen M (8) Rozendaal N (9) van den Bosch TPP (10) Jiang X (11) Logronio K (12) Liu AZ (13) Liu YR (14) Nagasaki Y (15) Murakami M (16) Onrust-Van Schoonhoven A (17) Leliveld A (18) Vadgama D (19) Langeveld H (20) van Wijck R (21) Bindels E (22) von der ThŸsen J (23) Mooyaart A (24) van Maldegem F (25) Brenis CM (26) Verwaerde S (27) Hendriks RW (28) Lambrecht BN (29) GrŸnhagen DJ (30) Verhoef C (31) Aerts JGJV (32) Lee LF (33) Lu KV (34) Stadhouders R (35) Dammeijer F

Nature

Van Krimpen and Huang et al. performed spatial proteogenomics studies on tdLNs from patients with melanoma. In addition to identifying a spatial neighborhood in the tdLN paracortex linked to poor prognosis, the researchers also identified a population of lymph node macrophages secreting PLA2G2D, which acted as an immune checkpoint that limited CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Blocking PLA2G2D reduced immunosuppression and enhanced antitumor immunity, resulting in reduced tumor growth, which could be further reduced in combination with anti-PD-1. PLA2G2D was also associated with poor prognosis in patient data.

(1) van Krimpen A (2) Huang J (3) Eterman M (4) Gerretsen V (5) Umetani M (6) Janssen JC (7) van Nimwegen M (8) Rozendaal N (9) van den Bosch TPP (10) Jiang X (11) Logronio K (12) Liu AZ (13) Liu YR (14) Nagasaki Y (15) Murakami M (16) Onrust-Van Schoonhoven A (17) Leliveld A (18) Vadgama D (19) Langeveld H (20) van Wijck R (21) Bindels E (22) von der ThŸsen J (23) Mooyaart A (24) van Maldegem F (25) Brenis CM (26) Verwaerde S (27) Hendriks RW (28) Lambrecht BN (29) GrŸnhagen DJ (30) Verhoef C (31) Aerts JGJV (32) Lee LF (33) Lu KV (34) Stadhouders R (35) Dammeijer F

Nature

Van Krimpen and Huang et al. performed spatial proteogenomics studies on tdLNs from patients with melanoma. In addition to identifying a spatial neighborhood in the tdLN paracortex linked to poor prognosis, the researchers also identified a population of lymph node macrophages secreting PLA2G2D, which acted as an immune checkpoint that limited CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Blocking PLA2G2D reduced immunosuppression and enhanced antitumor immunity, resulting in reduced tumor growth, which could be further reduced in combination with anti-PD-1. PLA2G2D was also associated with poor prognosis in patient data.

ABSTRACT: Systemic anti-tumour immunity results from T cell priming in tumour-draining lymph nodes (TDLNs)(1-4). Although the suppression of T cells in tumours is well characterized(5-8), whether this occurs in TDLNs-and if so, through which mechanisms-remains poorly understood. Here, using imaging mass cytometry of TDLNs from patients with melanoma, we identify a spatial neighbourhood in the TDLN paracortex that is linked to the development of distant metastases. Targeted spatial transcriptomics of cells inside this neighbourhood revealed activated CD8(+) T cells engaging with myeloid cells that expressed high levels of the immunosuppressive secretory phospholipase PLA2G2D. PLA2G2D(+) myeloid cells were substantially more abundant in TDLNs than they were in primary tumours or metastases. Genetic loss-of-function or antibody-mediated inhibition of PLA2G2D reduced tumour growth markedly, and single-cell transcriptomics in melanoma-bearing mice revealed that expression of Pla2g2d is confined to lymph-node macrophages. Mechanistically, PLA2G2D directly suppressed the early proliferation of T cells in vitro, and inhibiting PLA2G2D resulted in an expansion of tumour-specific T cells in TDLNs, leading to an increase in these T cells in the circulation and subsequently in tumours. Notably, PLA2G2D and PD-1 act as non-redundant immune checkpoints, with combination treatment showing additive or synergistic efficacy in humanized mice treated with human-specific antibodies. Collectively, our in-depth spatial profiling identifies PLA2G2D as a TDLN-centred targetable immune checkpoint for cancer immunotherapy.

Author Info: (1) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam

Author Info: (1) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (2) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. (3) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (4) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Centre for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium. (5) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. (6) Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (7) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (8) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (9) Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (10) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. (11) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. (12) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. (13) Taipei Medical University, Taipei City, Taiwan. (14) Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. (15) Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. (16) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (17) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (18) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (19) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (20) Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (21) Department of Haematology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (22) Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (23) Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (24) Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. (25) Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Centre for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium. Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. (26) Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Centre for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium. Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. (27) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (28) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Laboratory of Immunoregulation and Mucosal Immunology, VIB-UGent Centre for Inflammation Research, Ghent, Belgium. Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. (29) Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (30) Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Department of Surgical Oncology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (31) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. (32) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. llee@apeximmune.com. (33) Apeximmune Therapeutics, Burlingame, CA, USA. klu@apeximmune.com. (34) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. r.stadhouders@erasmusmc.nl. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. r.stadhouders@erasmusmc.nl. (35) Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. f.dammeijer@erasmusmc.nl. Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. f.dammeijer@erasmusmc.nl.

Citation: Nature 2026 Sep 9 Epub09/09/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42717091

Tags:

Intratumoral T cell activation kills tumors regardless of T cell specificity

(1) Ghirardelli Smith OC (2) Dao TT (3) Gavil NV (4) O'Flanagan SD (5) Rubin AJ (6) Nguyen S (7) Watowich MB (8) Liu N (9) Weyu E (10) Quarnstrom CF (11) Soerens AG (12) Joag V (13) Rosato PC (14) Krummel MF (15) Geller MA (16) Miller JS (17) Giubellino A (18) Vezys V (19) Shalek AK (20) Masopust D

Nature immunology

Smith, Dao, and Gavil et al. showed that activation of unexhausted non-tumor-specific memory T cells in the TIME induced tumor clearance in the absence of NK cell- or TCRαβ-dependent tumor cell recognition, although the latter was required to protect from dLN metastases after primary tumor surgical resection. Expression of IFNγ, TNF, and NO by T and myeloid cells, dependent on endothelial cell VCAM-1 upregulation, induced caspase-dependent apoptosis of primary tumor cells, which was boosted by anti-PD-L1. Gene expression analyses indicated that these antitumor mechanisms also occurred in human patients with melanoma with favorable prognoses.

Contributed by Paula Hochman

(1) Ghirardelli Smith OC (2) Dao TT (3) Gavil NV (4) O'Flanagan SD (5) Rubin AJ (6) Nguyen S (7) Watowich MB (8) Liu N (9) Weyu E (10) Quarnstrom CF (11) Soerens AG (12) Joag V (13) Rosato PC (14) Krummel MF (15) Geller MA (16) Miller JS (17) Giubellino A (18) Vezys V (19) Shalek AK (20) Masopust D

Nature immunology

Smith, Dao, and Gavil et al. showed that activation of unexhausted non-tumor-specific memory T cells in the TIME induced tumor clearance in the absence of NK cell- or TCRαβ-dependent tumor cell recognition, although the latter was required to protect from dLN metastases after primary tumor surgical resection. Expression of IFNγ, TNF, and NO by T and myeloid cells, dependent on endothelial cell VCAM-1 upregulation, induced caspase-dependent apoptosis of primary tumor cells, which was boosted by anti-PD-L1. Gene expression analyses indicated that these antitumor mechanisms also occurred in human patients with melanoma with favorable prognoses.

Contributed by Paula Hochman

ABSTRACT: Immunotherapies putatively require tumor-specific T cells. Here we show how T cells can eliminate tumors without tumor specificity via paracrine signaling. Activating unexhausted bystander non-tumor-specific T cells within tumors resulted in tumor elimination without conventional recognition-dependent mechanisms and in the absence of any tumor-specific T cell receptor (TCR)αβ+ T cells. Robust T cell activation recruited immune cells, used innate leukocytes and triggered a tumoricidal combination of effector molecules and panoptotic pathways. Mechanistically, interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor and nitric oxide induced caspase-dependent death, recapitulating melanoma clearance in mice or human melanoma cell death in vitro. Gene expression signatures associated with this response in mice were predictive of survival among human patients with melanoma. Thus, triggering productive T cell activation within tumors can be sufficient for immunotherapy, without needing to induce or rescue cancer-specific responses.

Author Info: (1) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapo

Author Info: (1) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (2) Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. (3) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (4) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (5) Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. (6) Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Department of Biology and Program in Biochemistry, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME, USA. (7) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (8) Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. (9) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (10) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (11) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (12) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (13) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon, NH, USA. (14) Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (15) Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (16) Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (17) Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (18) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. (19) Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Department of Chemistry, and Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA. Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA. (20) Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. masopust@umn.edu. Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. masopust@umn.edu.

Citation: Nat Immunol 2026 Sep 8 Epub09/08/2026

Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42711529

Tags:

Molecular heterogeneity and clonal origin of CCR8+ effector regulatory T cells in human cancer

Spotlight 

Julian Swatler (1,5), Simone Puccio (1,2,5), Emanuele Voulaz (1,3), Giuseppe Marulli (1,3), Matthew Wheeler (4), Sharmila Sambanthamoorthy (4), Eloise Scamardella (1), Simona Feno (1), Sabina Testa (1), Chiara Camisaschi (1), Emilia Maria Cristina Mazza (1), Enrico Lugli (1)

Nature communications

Swatler, Puccio, et al. used scRNsSeq and flow cytometry to define Treg subsets and analyze heterogeneity and TCR overlap across tissues from 9 tumor types. A common intratumoral Treg signature of 88 genes was defined, and four Treg subsets were further resolved (CCR7+ quiescent; CCR8+ effector; CD161+ Th17-like; intermediate lacking strong functional markers). In NSCLC, CCR8+ effector abundance correlated negatively, and CD161+ Th17-like abundance correlated positively with relapse-free survival. CCR8+ Tregs showed strong tumor localization with clonotype expansion, strong overlap with Tregs in dLN, and some overlap with normal adjacent tissue Tregs and intratumoral Tconv.

Contributed by Ed Fritsch

Julian Swatler (1,5), Simone Puccio (1,2,5), Emanuele Voulaz (1,3), Giuseppe Marulli (1,3), Matthew Wheeler (4), Sharmila Sambanthamoorthy (4), Eloise Scamardella (1), Simona Feno (1), Sabina Testa (1), Chiara Camisaschi (1), Emilia Maria Cristina Mazza (1), Enrico Lugli (1)

Nature communications

Swatler, Puccio, et al. used scRNsSeq and flow cytometry to define Treg subsets and analyze heterogeneity and TCR overlap across tissues from 9 tumor types. A common intratumoral Treg signature of 88 genes was defined, and four Treg subsets were further resolved (CCR7+ quiescent; CCR8+ effector; CD161+ Th17-like; intermediate lacking strong functional markers). In NSCLC, CCR8+ effector abundance correlated negatively, and CD161+ Th17-like abundance correlated positively with relapse-free survival. CCR8+ Tregs showed strong tumor localization with clonotype expansion, strong overlap with Tregs in dLN, and some overlap with normal adjacent tissue Tregs and intratumoral Tconv.

Contributed by Ed Fritsch

ABSTRACT: CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) are highly activated in tumors and promote disease progression. Specific, universal targeting of these effector Treg cells is limited by the lack of a conserved signature across human cancers and information on their origin. Here we combine analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets with spectral flow cytometry and identify a core signature of 88 genes consistently upregulated in intratumoral Treg cells among 9 epithelial cancers. We describe 4 Treg cell subsets – CCR7+ quiescent, CCR8+ effector, CD161+ and intermediate, with distinct tissue distribution, function, differentiation trajectories and molecular drivers. By single-cell T cell receptor sequencing, we observe that protumoral, effector CCR8+ Treg cells exhibit little clonal relationship with other Treg cell subsets inside tumors, but are clonally related to Treg cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes, as well as conventional T cells in tumors. This resource provides insights for development and fine-tuning of CCR8+ Treg cell-targeting therapies in cancer.

Author Info: 1-IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. 2- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, UoS Milan, National Research Council, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. 3- Departm

Author Info: 1-IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. 2- Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, UoS Milan, National Research Council, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. 3- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy. 4- Discovery Biology, Bristol Myers Squibb Company, Redwood City, California, CA, USA. 5- These authors contributed equally: Julian Swatler, Simone Puccio. e-mail: julian.swatler@humanitasresearch.it; enrico.lugli@humanitasresearch.it

Citation: Nat com 2026

Tags:

    Immune checkpoint blockade facilitates primary tumor rejection in a cDC1-independent manner without immunological memory acquisition

    Spotlight 

    Hitoki Arisato (1,2), Takuro Noguchi (1,3), Akihiko Shiiya (1), Yuta Toji (1), Masahiro Kashima (2), Jun Taguchi (1), Satoshi Takeuchi (1), Yasushi Shimizu (1), Hidenori Kitai (2), Kaoru Murakami (4), Jun Sakakibara-Konishi (2), Ichiro Kinoshita (5,6), Masaaki Murakami (4,7,8,9), Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita (1), Satoshi Konno (2)

    Cancer immunology, immunotherapy

    Arisato et al. found that the LLC-2B2 subclone of LLC was universally rejected in ICB-treated WT mice and was also rejected in 36% of ICB-treated Batf3-/- mice. In Batf3-/- mice, rejection was dependent on CD8+ T cells primed by alternative XCR1- APCs, which upregulated costimulatory CD80, CD86, and CD40 in response to soluble factors secreted by LLC-2B2 cells. However, when mice that had cleared LLC-2B2 tumors were rechallenged, all WT mice rejected tumors, while most Batf3-/- mice did not, suggesting that cDC1s were important in establishing protective immune memory. Intratumoral injection of Flt3L-DCs restored protection from rechallenge.

    Contributed by Lauren Hitchings

    Hitoki Arisato (1,2), Takuro Noguchi (1,3), Akihiko Shiiya (1), Yuta Toji (1), Masahiro Kashima (2), Jun Taguchi (1), Satoshi Takeuchi (1), Yasushi Shimizu (1), Hidenori Kitai (2), Kaoru Murakami (4), Jun Sakakibara-Konishi (2), Ichiro Kinoshita (5,6), Masaaki Murakami (4,7,8,9), Hirotoshi Dosaka-Akita (1), Satoshi Konno (2)

    Cancer immunology, immunotherapy

    Arisato et al. found that the LLC-2B2 subclone of LLC was universally rejected in ICB-treated WT mice and was also rejected in 36% of ICB-treated Batf3-/- mice. In Batf3-/- mice, rejection was dependent on CD8+ T cells primed by alternative XCR1- APCs, which upregulated costimulatory CD80, CD86, and CD40 in response to soluble factors secreted by LLC-2B2 cells. However, when mice that had cleared LLC-2B2 tumors were rechallenged, all WT mice rejected tumors, while most Batf3-/- mice did not, suggesting that cDC1s were important in establishing protective immune memory. Intratumoral injection of Flt3L-DCs restored protection from rechallenge.

    Contributed by Lauren Hitchings

    ABSTRACT: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) provides durable therapeutic responses across multiple cancer types. Although crosstalk between T cells and conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s) is essential, the contribution of other antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to ICB-induced tumor rejection remains unclear. To address this, we show that while the majority of wild type (WT) mice rejected an immunogenic clone of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) following ICB, 35.7% of Batf3–/– mice, which lack the cDC1 subset, also rejected this LLC clone. ICB induced the upregulation of costimulatory markers on XCR1– APCs in the tumors and lymph nodes of Batf3–/– mice, similar to responses observed in wild-type mice. Mechanistically, conditioned culture media from LLC, but not from ICB-resistant B16F10 melanoma cells, stimulated bone marrow-derived cDC1s and cDC2s, as evidenced by the upregulation of CD40 and CD80 expression. RNA sequencing revealed that antitumor immunity-related genes were upregulated in LLC cells compared with B16F10 cells. To determine the role of cDC1-independent long-term immune memory, we rechallenged ICB-induced tumor-free mice with LLC tumors. We found that, without supplementation of cDC1s during primary rejection, Batf3–/– mice failed to spontaneously reject the rechallenged tumors. These findings demonstrate that ICB can elicit primary antitumor T cell responses against immunogenic tumors in the absence of cDC1s, whereas cDC1s are essential for the establishment of ICB-induced long-term memory. Our study underscores the importance of clinical strategies targeting both cDC1-dependent and cDC1-independent pathways to enhance the durable efficacy of ICB.

    Author Info: 1. Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan 2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medici

    Author Info: 1. Department of Medical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan 2. Department of Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan 3. Department of Medical Oncology, Shinshu Cancer Center, Shinshu University Hospital, Matsumoto, Japan 4. Division of Molecular Psychoimmunology, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan 5. Department of Medical Oncology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan 6. Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan 7. Quantum immunology Team, Institute for Quantum Life science, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), Chiba, Japan 8. Division of Molecular Neuroimmunology, Department of Homeostatic Regulation, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Aichi, Japan 9. Institute for Vaccine Research and Development, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan

    Citation: Cancer immunology, immunotherapy 2026

    Tags:

      Antigen presentation requirements for effective cDC1-based cancer immunotherapy Spotlight 

      (1) Pineda JE (2) Minowa T (3) Shen L (4) Zhou Y (5) Dyevoich A (6) Patel B (7) Schneider SM (8) Keshari S (9) Saha A (10) Riba MN (11) Wang J (12) Watowich SS (13) Gubin MM

      Journal of immunology | Free PMC Article

      Ex vivo-differentiated cDC1s offer superior tumor protection compared to monocyte-derived DCs used in DC vaccine trials. Pinesa and Minowa et al. found that vaccine-delivered cDC1s closely resembled tumor-infiltrating endogenous cDC1s transcriptionally. Robust tumor control upon cDC1 vaccination required both MHC-I and MHC-II antigen presentation on the same cDC1, and transient CD40 stimulation was insufficient to compensate for MHC-II KO on cDC1s vaccines, suggesting direct in cis coordination of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Lack of host cDC1s in Irf8+32-/- mice with poorly immunogenic B16 tumors reduced the efficacy of cDC1 vaccination.

      Contributed by Ute Burkhardt

      (1) Pineda JE (2) Minowa T (3) Shen L (4) Zhou Y (5) Dyevoich A (6) Patel B (7) Schneider SM (8) Keshari S (9) Saha A (10) Riba MN (11) Wang J (12) Watowich SS (13) Gubin MM

      Journal of immunology | Free PMC Article

      Ex vivo-differentiated cDC1s offer superior tumor protection compared to monocyte-derived DCs used in DC vaccine trials. Pinesa and Minowa et al. found that vaccine-delivered cDC1s closely resembled tumor-infiltrating endogenous cDC1s transcriptionally. Robust tumor control upon cDC1 vaccination required both MHC-I and MHC-II antigen presentation on the same cDC1, and transient CD40 stimulation was insufficient to compensate for MHC-II KO on cDC1s vaccines, suggesting direct in cis coordination of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Lack of host cDC1s in Irf8+32-/- mice with poorly immunogenic B16 tumors reduced the efficacy of cDC1 vaccination.

      Contributed by Ute Burkhardt

      ABSTRACT: Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) are important for generating and sustaining antitumor immunity. Accordingly, the abundance of cDC1s in human tumors correlates with improved outcomes in cancer. Capitalizing on this role, we previously demonstrated that vaccination with murine cDC1s, generated in culture from bone marrow cells (termed here "in vitro-derived cDC1s"), elicits durable tumor control in multiple preclinical models; however, the immunological mechanisms underlying the efficacy of cDC1 vaccination remain unclear. Here, we examined whether in vitro-derived cDC1s resemble tumor-infiltrating DC populations and whether MHC-I and MHC-II antigen presentation contribute to cDC1-mediated tumor control following vaccination in melanoma. As expected, MHC-I or MHC-II deficiency had minimal impact on the transcriptional state of cDC1s in homeostasis or following stimulation with the adjuvant poly dI:dC. Moreover, in vitro-derived cDC1s cultured under steady-state conditions closely resembled tumor-infiltrating cDC1s, whereas their poly dI:dC-stimulated counterparts resembled CCR7+ tumor-infiltrating DC populations, also referred to as mregDCs or LAMP3+ DCs. Our data further show that both MHC-I and MHC-II contribute to tumor control upon cDC1 vaccination and that coexpression of MHC-I and MHC-II on the same cDC1 is necessary for a robust vaccine response. We also identified an important function for host cDC1s in supporting the efficacy of vaccination with in vitro-derived cDC1s, as judged by impaired tumor control in Irf8+32-/- mice, which lack endogenous cDC1s. Overall, these results indicate that effective antitumor responses depend on MHC-I and MHC-II antigen presentation by vaccine-delivered cDC1s, with additional contributions from host cDC1s.

      Author Info: (1) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The Univer

      Author Info: (1) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (2) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (3) Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Division of Discovery Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (4) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (5) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (6) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (7) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (8) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (9) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (10) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (11) Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Division of Discovery Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (12) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. (13) Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States. MD Anderson UTHealth Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States.

      Citation: J Immunol 2026 Aug 4 215: Epub

      Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42592936

      Tags:

      In vivo genome-wide CRISPR screens of human T cells in solid tumours Spotlight 

      (1) Liu Q (2) Chen PA (3) Urs E (4) Zhang S (5) Arce MM (6) Wang CH (7) Yan J (8) Nguyen VQ (9) Li Z (10) Seo J (11) Kale N (12) Peng F (13) Luo Y (14) Goudy L (15) LaFlam TN (16) Zhong H (17) Modak C (18) Dann E (19) Jung JH (20) Kirane A (21) Warner AB (22) Quach BB (23) Good Z (24) Shy BR (25) Shifrut E (26) Bapat SP (27) Allen GM (28) Eyquem J (29) Fuh K (30) Dodgson SE (31) Cyster JG (32) Marson A (33) Carnevale J

      Nature

      Liu et al. developed a genome-wide in vivo CRISPR screening platform using a T cell-attracting anti-CD3 scFv-expressing A375 tumor model and primary human T cells to identify in vivo regulators of intratumoral T cell abundance and effector function. The abundance screen identified P2RY8-Gα13 as a negative regulator of T cell tumor infiltration, whereas the IFNγ-based functional screen identified GNAS as a key driver of intratumoral T cell dysfunction. GNAS deletion enhanced CAR- and TCR-T cell fitness and efficacy across solid tumor models. P2RY8 and GNAS dual-knockout CAR T cells showed increased infiltration and improved tumor control.

      Contributed by Shishir Pant

      (1) Liu Q (2) Chen PA (3) Urs E (4) Zhang S (5) Arce MM (6) Wang CH (7) Yan J (8) Nguyen VQ (9) Li Z (10) Seo J (11) Kale N (12) Peng F (13) Luo Y (14) Goudy L (15) LaFlam TN (16) Zhong H (17) Modak C (18) Dann E (19) Jung JH (20) Kirane A (21) Warner AB (22) Quach BB (23) Good Z (24) Shy BR (25) Shifrut E (26) Bapat SP (27) Allen GM (28) Eyquem J (29) Fuh K (30) Dodgson SE (31) Cyster JG (32) Marson A (33) Carnevale J

      Nature

      Liu et al. developed a genome-wide in vivo CRISPR screening platform using a T cell-attracting anti-CD3 scFv-expressing A375 tumor model and primary human T cells to identify in vivo regulators of intratumoral T cell abundance and effector function. The abundance screen identified P2RY8-Gα13 as a negative regulator of T cell tumor infiltration, whereas the IFNγ-based functional screen identified GNAS as a key driver of intratumoral T cell dysfunction. GNAS deletion enhanced CAR- and TCR-T cell fitness and efficacy across solid tumor models. P2RY8 and GNAS dual-knockout CAR T cells showed increased infiltration and improved tumor control.

      Contributed by Shishir Pant

      ABSTRACT: Large-scale CRISPR screening in human T cells holds significant promise for identifying genetic modifications that enhance cellular immunotherapy. Yet, many regulators of T cell performance in solid tumours are not revealed in vitro(1,2). In vivo screening in tumour-bearing mice is more physiological but has been limited by low intratumoural T cell recovery. Here we developed an in vivo model that efficiently recovers human T cells from solid tumours, permitting genome-wide CRISPR screens with few mice. Tumour-infiltrating T cells from this model exhibit hallmarks of dysfunction compared with splenic T cells, creating an ideal screening context. We performed two genome-wide CRISPR knockout screens to identify regulators of intratumoural T cell abundance and effector function. The abundance screen revealed the P2RY8-G_13 GPCR signalling axis as a negative regulator of T cell tumour infiltration. The effector function screen identified GNAS as a key driver of T cell dysfunction in tumours, whose product, G_s, acts as a convergent node downstream of multiple GPCRs sensing distinct suppressive ligands. Knockout of GNAS rendered T cells resistant to multiple suppressive cues and significantly improved efficacy across diverse solid tumour models in chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) systems. Combinatorial knockout of P2RY8-GNAS further enhanced tumour control, demonstrating that complementary in vivo screens can identify orthogonal targets whose combined editing improves therapeutic potency. This flexible, scalable platform can be adapted for systematic discovery of genetic strategies to improve solid tumour T cell therapies.

      Author Info: (1) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. qi.liu3@ucsf.edu. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA

      Author Info: (1) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. qi.liu3@ucsf.edu. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. qi.liu3@ucsf.edu. (2) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (3) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (4) Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (5) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (6) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (7) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (8) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. UCSF CoLabs, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Surgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (9) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (10) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (11) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (12) Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (13) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (14) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (15) Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (16) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (17) Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (18) Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. (19) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (20) Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. (21) Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. (22) Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Division of Computational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. (23) Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Division of Computational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. (24) Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (25) Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Dotan Center for Advanced Therapies, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel. (26) Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (27) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (28) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. (29) Department of OB/Gyn, Center for Reproductive Sciences, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (30) Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. (31) Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. (32) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Institute for Human Genetics (IHG), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA. (33) Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. julia.carnevale@ucsf.edu. Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology, San Francisco, CA, USA. julia.carnevale@ucsf.edu. Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA, USA. julia.carnevale@ucsf.edu. Weill Cancer Hub West, Stanford University and University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA. julia.carnevale@ucsf.edu. UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA. julia.carnevale@ucsf.edu.

      Citation: Nature 2026 Aug 12 Epub08/12/2026

      Link to PUBMED: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42587162

      Tags:
      Close Modal

      Subscribe to our mailing list

      GDPR Marketing Permissions

      The Fritsch Foundation/ACIR.org will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to send you a weekly digest on cance immunotherapy. Click below to confirm that you want to receive the weekly digest by:

      You can change your mind at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the footer of any email you receive from us, or by contacting us at contact@acir.org. We will treat your information with respect and will never share it with any third-parties. By clicking below, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.

      We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here.

      Close Modal

      Small change for you. Big change for us!

      This Thanksgiving season, show your support for cancer research by donating your change.

      In less than a minute, link your credit card with our partner RoundUp App.

      Every purchase you make with that card will be rounded up and the change will be donated to ACIR.

      All transactions are securely made through Stripe.