Autophagic flux restoration of senescent T cells improves antitumor activity of TCR-engineered T cells.

Objectives: Although adoptive cell therapy with T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-Ts) has mediated effective antitumor responses in several cancers, senescence of T cells could impair the therapeutic effect of TCR-Ts. Thus, it is essential to elucidate the characteristics of senescent TCR-Ts and how to subsequently improve their antitumor effect. Here, we focused on the influence of autophagy on TCR-Ts, since autophagy is tightly associated with the regulation of T-cell activation, proliferation and differentiation.

Methods: We first evaluated autophagy level of senescent TCR-Ts, and then the senescent TCR-Ts were expanded for 7 days with and without spermidine treatment, respectively. Furthermore, the proliferative potential, phenotypical characteristics and functionality of the propagated senescent TCR-Ts were analysed and after 7-day expansion.

Results: We found that autophagic flux of senescent TCR-T cells was significantly impaired. The restoration of autophagic flux via spermidine treatment reduced the expression of inhibitory immunoreceptors (PD-1, TIM-3 or LAG-3), enhanced proliferation and effector functions and subsequently demonstrated the superior and antitumor activity of TCR-Ts.

Conclusion: These data suggest that spermidine treatment presents an opportunity to improve the antitumor effect of TCR-Ts for the treatment of solid tumors.