Modeling Human Gamma Delta T Cells as Antitumor Agents In Vivo
Abstract
The studies proposed here are within the Fiscal Year 2016 (FY16) Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program Immunotherapy and Lymphoma Topic Areas, and apply to the FY16 Military Relevance Focus Area relating to militarily relevant risk factors associated with cancer. The Department of Veterans Affairs has determined that military personnel who have been exposed in the course of duty to chemicals like Agent Orange or to radiation are at increased risk for the development of blood cancers, including lymphomas. The objective of these studies is to learn what signals are required for certain cells of the immune system, namely a type of T lymphocyte that has not yet been well studied called gamma-delta T cells, to control lymphomas. We know from experiments performed in test tubes that human gamma-delta T cells are able to kill a variety of human tumors, but we don t know what signals activate them to do this or what processes they might use to control tumors in a patient s body. Once we discover what is required for human gamma-delta T cells to control lymphomas, we will be able to identify those lymphoma patients whose cancers have the required signals for the gamma-delta T cells to be an effective cancer treatment. The ultimate goal of this research is to be able to administer gamma-delta T cells to patients with lymphoma, as part of a strategy to cure their cancer. We are currently at the stage of learning what basic molecular signals are required for this approach to be effective. Before the long-term goal can be realized, it will of course be necessary to also do safety studies to make sure that the gamma-delta T cells do not cause other problems. Nevertheless, because the gamma-delta T cells studied here can readily be grown in the clinic from blood samples obtained from essentially any healthy donor using, and this involves only inexpensive off-the-shelf drugs (no genetic modification), we expect that this approach may be developed for clinical use within 5-10 years. Therefore, these studies are expected to lead quite rapidly to development of a more cost-effective way to treat lymphomas of military personnel.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 07, 2017
- Source ID
- W81XWH1710291
Entities
People
- Jenny Gumperz
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Wisconsin–Madison