Elevated CD3+ and CD8+ tumor-infiltrating immune cells correlate with prolonged survival in glioblastoma patients despite integrated immunosuppressive mechanisms in the tumor microenvironment and at the systemic level.

Abstract: We characterized GBM patients' tumor and systemic immune contexture with aim to reveal the mechanisms of immunological escape, their impact on patient outcome, and identify targets for immunotherapy. Increased CD3+ T-cell infiltration was associated with prolonged survival independent of age, MGMT promoter methylation and post-operative treatment that implies potential for immunotherapy for GBM. Several mechanisms of escape were identified: within the tumor microenvironment: induced CD8+CD28−Foxp3+ Tregs that may tolerize antigen presenting cells, elevated CD73 and CD39 ectonucleotidases that suppress T-cell function, and at the systemic level: elevated IL-10 levels in serum, diminished helper T-cell counts, and upregulated inhibitory CTLA-4. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]