Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 9, 2026

T and B Cell Receptor Immune Repertoire Analysis using Next-generation Sequencing
08:59

T and B Cell Receptor Immune Repertoire Analysis using Next-generation Sequencing

Published on: January 12, 2021

9.0K

T cell receptor repertoire usage in cancer as a surrogate marker for immune responses

David Schrama1, Cathrin Ritter2,3,4, Jürgen C Becker5,6,7

  • 1Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.

Seminars in Immunopathology
|January 12, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Understanding T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire dynamics in cancer is key for immunotherapy. High-resolution sequencing of TCRs, even from FFPE tissues, offers insights into immune responses and biomarkers for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The interaction between cancer cells and the host adaptive immune system is crucial for tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy.
  • T cells, via their T cell receptors (TCRs), recognize and eliminate cancer cells, with TCR repertoire diversity enabling broad antigen recognition.
  • TCR repertoire dynamics serve as a potential biomarker for monitoring immunomodulatory therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the conceptual framework and current experimental approaches for characterizing T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire usage in cancer.
  • To highlight the significance of TCR repertoire analysis in understanding tumor immunology and guiding cancer immunotherapy.
  • To discuss the challenges associated with TCR repertoire characterization in the context of cancer research.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing multiplexed PCR amplification and massive parallel sequencing technologies for high-resolution TCR repertoire characterization.
  • Analyzing TCR repertoires from limited and low-quality biomaterials, including formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) archived tissues.
  • Reviewing existing experimental methodologies for assessing TCR repertoire diversity and usage in cancer patients.

Main Results:

  • Recent technological advancements enable high-resolution TCR repertoire profiling even from challenging FFPE samples.
  • TCR repertoire analysis provides a dynamic view of the immune response against cancer.
  • The findings underscore the potential of TCR repertoire as a biomarker in cancer immunotherapy.

Conclusions:

  • Characterizing the TCR repertoire is essential for advancing tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy.
  • High-throughput sequencing technologies have overcome previous limitations in analyzing TCR repertoires from archival tissues.
  • Further research into TCR repertoire usage can lead to improved biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.

More Related Videos

Using X-ray Crystallography, Biophysics, and Functional Assays to Determine the Mechanisms Governing T-cell Receptor Recognition of Cancer Antigens09:53

Using X-ray Crystallography, Biophysics, and Functional Assays to Determine the Mechanisms Governing T-cell Receptor Recognition of Cancer Antigens

Published on: February 6, 2017

11.9K
In Vitro Tumor Cell Rechallenge For Predictive Evaluation of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Antitumor Function08:04

In Vitro Tumor Cell Rechallenge For Predictive Evaluation of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Antitumor Function

Published on: February 27, 2019

12.8K

Related Concept Videos

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection01:22

T Cell Activation and Clonal Selection

T cells are integral to our adaptive immune system, recognizing and effectively responding to foreign antigens. T cell activation and clonal selection are pivotal in orchestrating this immune response. This article elucidates these mechanisms, detailing the roles of cluster of differentiation (CD) markers, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, costimulatory signals, and the process of clonal selection.
Naive T cells that have not yet encountered an antigen express two primary CD...
16.9K
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
2.1K
Diversity of Antigen Receptors01:28

Diversity of Antigen Receptors

Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
Before encountering any antigen, lymphocytes express these receptors. On B cells, the antigen receptor is a membrane-bound antibody molecule called BCR; on T cells, it is a T cell receptor or TCR. B and T cell receptors are composed of two...
1.9K