Researchers Identify Immune Cells Targeting KSHV in Kaposi Sarcoma Tumors
Scientists analyzing tumor biopsies from 144 Ugandan adults with Kaposi sarcoma identified cytotoxic T cells that specifically recognize and attack cells infected with KSHV, the virus that causes the disease. The study found four KSHV-specific T-cell receptors that target viral genes active during viral replication, with some responses appearing in multiple patients. These findings could enable development of T-cell-based immunotherapies for Kaposi sarcoma and other KSHV-associated cancers.
Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis of T-cell receptor repertoires from Kaposi sarcoma tumor biopsies collected from 144 Ugandan adults, including 106 people living with HIV and 38 HIV-seronegative individuals. They identified over 4,000 T-cell receptors with predicted specificity for KSHV or HIV-encoded peptides and validated four KSHV-specific T-cell receptors that recognize peptides from lytic KSHV genes (ORF6, ORF57, and ORF59). Notably, two of these receptors were found in multiple individuals, representing the first documented public T-cell responses to KSHV. The researchers confirmed these T-cell receptors could recognize KSHV-infected cells undergoing viral replication. The discovery of these tumor-infiltrating, KSHV-specific immune responses provides a foundation for developing T-cell-based therapeutic approaches for Kaposi sarcoma and related KSHV-associated diseases.
What's missing
The article does not discuss the clinical implications timeline or how soon such T-cell therapies might be available to patients. Additionally, it lacks information about the prevalence of Kaposi sarcoma globally and the specific populations most affected beyond the Ugandan cohort studied.
How coverage differed
This is a preprint from bioRxiv presenting original research findings in a neutral, scientific format. The source presents methodology and results objectively without advocacy or sensationalism, typical of peer-reviewed scientific communication.
What different sources said
- bioRxivCenter
Cytotoxic T cells targeting lytic KSHV gene products infiltrate Kaposi sarcoma tumors
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