The following is a summary of “Egress of resident memory T cells from tissue with neoadjuvant immunotherapy: Implications for systemic anti-tumor immunity,” published in the November 2023 issue of Oral Oncology by Rainey, et al.
As part of the body’s natural defense against microbes, resident memory T (TRM) cells are found in the skin and other tissues around the body. They can act as sentinels that can respond quickly to repeated pathogen contact. New research suggested that long-term exposure to antigens and other microenvironment cues may also help the growth of TRM cells inside solid tumors. This TRM phenotype can lock tumor-specific T cells inside tumors and keep them from spreading, which limits the body’s ability to fight tumors.
For a study, researchers sought to determine what has already been written in English and determine the factors that affect the differentiation of TRM cells in both infection and cancer. They focus on the role of TGF-β and how blocking the signaling could be used as a treatment to boost the immune system’s response to the tumor.
The appearance of TRM cells that are specific to neoepitopes in cancers were linked to a better outcome and a higher response to immunotherapy. New research suggested that solid tumors may store tumor-specific TRM cells and restrict their movement, which could weaken the body’s ability to fight tumors.
TRM cells use specific ways to get out of peripheral tissues and into the bloodstream and other peripheral sites. New research suggests that immunotherapeutic methods start these processes and boost the body’s ability to fight tumors. To boost overall cancer immunity, getting tumor-specific T cells back before they are surgically removed or irradiated may be helpful. This result may explain why neoadjuvant immunotherapy has improved recurrence-free mortality in clinical studies.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S136883752300266X
