Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) from patients with glioma

摘要

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) may represent a viable source of T cells for the biological treatment of patients with gliomas. Glioma tissue was obtained from 16 patients, tumor cell lines were established, and TILs were expanded in 16/16 cases using a combination of IL-2/IL-15/IL-21. Intracellular cytokine staining (ICS, IL-2, IL-17, TNF alpha and IFN gamma production) as well as a cytotoxicity assay was used to detect TIL reactivity against autologous tumor cells or shared tumor-associated antigens (TAAs; i. e., NY-ESO-1, Survivin or EGFRvIII). TILs were analyzed by flow cytometry, including T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta family composition, exhaustion/activation and T-cell differentiation markers (CD45RA/CCR7). IL-2/IL-15/IL-21 expanded TILs exhibited a mixture of CD4(+), CD8(+), as well as CD3(+) CD4(+) CD8(+) T cells with a predominant central memory CD45RA(+) CCR7(+) phenotype. TIL showed low frequencies of T cells testing positive for PD-1, TIM-3 and CTLA-4. LAG3 tested positive in up to 30% of CD8C TIL, with low (1.25%) frequencies in CD4(+) T cells. TIL cultures exhibited preferential usage of V beta families and recognition of autologous tumor cells defined by cytokine production and cytotoxicity. IL-2/IL-15/IL-21 expanded TILs represent a viable source for the cellular therapy of patients with gliomas.