[Tgammadelta lymphocytes in oncology: unconventional killer lymphocytes]

Abstract

Gamma delta T cells are a distinct subset of CD3+ T cells featuring both T cells receptors that are encoded by Vgamma- and Vdelta- gene segments and characteristics of innate immunity. In human blood, 80% of those express Vgamma9Vdelta2-TCRs that are specific for conserved non peptidic compound, phosphoantigens (PAgs). Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells recognize in vitro a wide array of transformed cells and are activated in vivo in various tumor. Owing to their ability to directly kill tumor cells and produce inflammatory cytokines (such as IFN-gamma) boosting antitumor properties of other immune effector cells, gamma delta T cells contribute to protective immunity against cancers. These observations, and the recent availability of synthetic clinical grade PAg or pharmacological inducers of PAg (e.g. aminobisphosphonates) able to trigger Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cell, have fostered development of new gammadelta T cell-based therapeutic strategies, which are depicted in this review.