IL-17-producing γδ T cells in the tumor microenvironment promote radioresistance in mice

Abstract

The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) drives radioresistance, but the role of γδ T cells in regulating radiosensitivity remains incompletely understood. In this study, we found that γδ T cell infiltration in the TME substantially increased after radiotherapy and contributed to radioresistance. Depletion of γδ T cells enhanced radiosensitivity. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that γδ T cells in the post-radiotherapy TME were characterized by the expression of Zbtb16, Il23r, and Il17a, and served as the primary source of IL-17A. These γδ T cells promoted radioresistance by recruiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells and suppressing T cell activation. Mechanistically, radiotherapy-induced tumor cell-derived microparticles containing dsDNA activated the cGAS-STING/NF-κB signaling pathway in macrophages, upregulating the expression of the chemokine CCL20, which was critical for γδ T cell recruitment. Targeting γδ T cells and IL-17A enhanced radiosensitivity and improved the efficacy of radiotherapy combined with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, providing potential therapeutic strategies to overcome radioresistance.

Keywords: Cancer; Immunology; Immunotherapy; Oncology; Radiation therapy.