Commensal bacteria stimulate antitumor responses via T cell cross-reactivity Journal Article


Authors: Bessell, C. A.; Isser, A.; Havel, J. J.; Lee, S.; Bell, D. R.; Hickey, J. W.; Chaisawangwong, W.; Bieler, J. G.; Srivastava, R.; Kuo, F.; Purohit, T.; Zhou, R.; Chan, T. A.; Schneck, J. P.
Article Title: Commensal bacteria stimulate antitumor responses via T cell cross-reactivity
Abstract: Recent studies show gut microbiota modulate antitumor immune responses; one proposed mechanism is cross-reactivity between antigens expressed in commensal bacteria and neoepitopes. We found that T cells targeting an epitope called SVYRYYGL (SVY), expressed in the commensal bacterium Bifidobacterium breve (B. breve), cross-react with a model neoantigen, SIYRYYGL (SIY). Mice lacking B. breve had decreased SVY-reactive T cells compared with B. breve-colonized mice, and the T cell response was transferable by SVY immunization or by cohousing mice without Bifidobacterium with ones colonized with Bifidobacterium. Tumors expressing the model SIY neoantigen also grew faster in mice lacking B. breve compared with Bifidobacterium-colonized animals. B. breve colonization also shaped the SVY-reactive TCR repertoire. Finally, SVY-specific T cells recognized SIY-expressing melanomas in vivo and led to decreased tumor growth and extended survival. Our work demonstrates that commensal bacteria can stimulate antitumor immune responses via cross-reactivity and how bacterial antigens affect the T cell landscape. © 2020, American Society for Clinical Investigation.
Journal Title: JCI Insight
Volume: 5
Issue: 8
ISSN: 2379-3708
Publisher: Amer Soc Clinical Investigation Inc  
Date Published: 2020-04-23
Start Page: e135597
Language: English
DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.135597
PUBMED: 32324171
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC7205429
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Timothy Chan
    317 Chan
  2. Jonathan Joseph Havel
    18 Havel
  3. Fengshen Kuo
    81 Kuo