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Stiff matrix impairs cytotoxic T lymphocyte function at multiple levels
Mir Hadi Seyedzadeh1, M A Tolentino2, Newton Gil Peres1
1Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Tumor stiffness impairs cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) function. Stiffer tumor microenvironments reduce CTL migration, cytotoxicity, and immune synapse formation, hindering antitumor immunity.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Biomaterials Science
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are crucial for antitumor immunity, inducing cancer cell apoptosis.
- Tumor microenvironment (TME) factors, including extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, can impede CTL effector functions.
- Understanding ECM stiffness's impact on CTLs is vital for improving cancer immunotherapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness on CTL migration, cytotoxicity, and immunological synapse formation.
- To utilize 3D bioprinting to create tunable ECM stiffness mimics for studying CTL-TME interactions.
Main Methods:
- Three-dimensionally bioprinted CTLs and target cells within polyethylene glycol-based ECM mimics.
- Tunable ECM stiffness and uniform porosity were employed.
- Assessed CTL migration speed, antigen-specific cytotoxicity, and immunological synapse formation.
- Utilized live Ca2+ imaging and phospho-ZAP70 expression analysis.
Main Results:
- Increased ECM stiffness significantly reduced CTL migration speed.
- Stiffer ECMs impaired antigen-specific CTL cytotoxicity.
- Stiffness reduced CTL efficacy by shortening cell contact time and disrupting immunological synapse formation, not by reducing contact frequency.
- Impaired synapse formation was corroborated by Ca2+ signaling and ZAP70 phosphorylation changes.
Conclusions:
- ECM stiffness is a critical regulator of CTL function within the TME.
- Stiffer matrices negatively impact CTL migration, cytotoxicity, and the quality of immune synapses.
- These findings highlight ECM stiffness as a potential therapeutic target to enhance CTL-mediated antitumor responses.
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