PD-1 Blockade Can Restore Functions of T-Cells in Epstein-Barr Virus-Positive Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma In Vitro
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Authors: | Lina Quan Xue Chen Aichun Liu Yan Zhang Xiuchen Guo Shujie Yan Yue Liu |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Hematology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.; 2. Department of Radiotherapy, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China.; University of Nebraska - Lincoln, UNITED STATES, |
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Abstract: | Epstein–Barr virus-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (EBV+DLBCL) is an aggressive malignancy that is largely resistant to current therapeutic regimens, and is an attractive target for immune-based therapies. Anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibodies showed encouraging anti-tumor effects in both preclinical models and advanced solid and hematological malignancies, but its efficacy against EBV+DLBCL is unknown. Herein, we performed experiments using co-culture system with T cells and lymphoma cell lines including EBV+DLBCL and EBV-DLBCL [including germinal center B-cell like (GCB)-DLBCL and non-GCB-DLBCL] in vitro. We show that lymphoma cells augmented the expression of PD-1 on T cells, decreased the proliferation of T cells, and altered the secretion of multiple cytokines. However, through PD-1 blockade, these functions could be largely restored. Notbaly, the effect of PD-1 blockade on antitumor immunity was more effective in EBV+DLBCL than that in EBV-DLBCL in vitro. These results suggest that T-cell exhaustion and immune escape in microenvironment is one of the mechanisms underlying DLBCL; and PD-1 blockade could present as a efficacious immunotherapeutic treatment for EBV+DLBCL. |
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