Role of IL-18 on the activation of Vδ2+ T cells – For the development of novel cancer immunotherapy

• Published in: Annals of Cancer Research and Therapy Vol. 26; no. 2; pp. 71 - 76
• Main Authors: Abe, Yuki, Kobayashi, Hirohito, Akizawa, Yoshika, Ishitani, Ken, Matsui, Hideo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Society of Strategies for Cancer Research and Therapy 21.08.2018
• Subjects: CD56; Cytotoxicity; Gamma Delta T Cells; Interleukin-18; Ovarian cancer
• ISSN: 1344-6835; 1880-5469
• DOI: 10.4993/acrt.26.71

IL(interleukin)-18 is known to induce proliferation of Vδ2+ T cells and expression of CD56, resulting in enhancement of cytotoxic activity. We focused on the expression of CD56 and the direct action of IL-18 on Vδ2+ T cells to evaluate the importance of IL-18 for developing Vδ2+ T cells-based adoptive immunotherapy. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified from heparinized blood of healthy donors and cancer patients. CD56− Vδ2+ T cells isolated from healthy subjects were cultured with IL-2 and IL-18 or with IL-2 alone. The number of CD56− Vδ2+ cells increased compared with those with IL-2 alone. However, this increase was not statistically significant. CD56− Vδ2+ T cells derived from CD56+-depleted PBMCs were stimulated by phosphoantigens and cultured with IL-2 and IL-18, and showed significantly stronger cytotoxic activity than resultant CD56+ Vδ2+ T cells. IL-18 promotes the proliferation of Vδ2+ T cells from PBMCs of ovarian cancer patients. Thus, IL-18 is worth to be considered as a strong candidate in the development of effective cancer immunotherapy.