title: Monitoring Circulating γδ T Cells in Cancer Patients to Optimize γδ T Cell-Based Immunotherapy.
abstract: The success of γδ T cell-based immunotherapy, where the cytotoxic activity of circulating γδ T lymphocytes is activated by nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (n-BP), or possibly by bispecific antibodies or the combination of both, requires a profound knowledge of patients' γδ T cells. A possible influence of radio- or chemotherapy on γδ T cells as well as their reported exhaustion after repetitive treatment with n-BP or their lack of response to various cancers can be easily determined by the monitoring assays described in this perspective article. Monitoring the absolute cell numbers of circulating γδ T cell subpopulations in small volumes of whole blood from cancer patients and determining γδ T cell cytotoxicity using the Real-Time Cell Analyzer can give a more comprehensive assessment of a personalized tumor treatment. Possible future directions such as the combined usage of n-BP or phosphorylated antigens together with bispecific antibodies that selectively target γδ T cells to tumor-associated antigens, will be discussed. Such strategies induce expansion and enhance γδ T cell cytotoxicity and might possibly avoid their exhaustion and overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Heinrich
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Oberg
authors.affiliation: 2nd Medical Department, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kellner
authors.affiliation: 2nd Medical Department, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peipp
authors.affiliation: Institute for Experimental Medicine, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sebens
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adam-Klages
authors.affiliation: 2nd Medical Department, Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gramatzki
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kabelitz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Immunology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel , Kiel , Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wesch
keywords: aminobisphosphonate; bispecific antibodies; human; monitoring; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; phosphorylated antigens; γδ T cells