Cells that Act as a Command Center Supporting Cancer Immunity Revealed 　　　　　　　　　　　- Saitama Medical University Publishes in Nature’s Sister Journal –

A research group led by Professor Hiroshi Kagamu of Saitama Medical University International Medical Center has revealed that a new immune cell population, Th7R cells, plays a key role in cancer immunity and is involved in the mechanism that ensures the continuation of cancer attack. The research results were published in the internationally recognized academic journal, Nature Communications.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-71161-0
 
The research group previously named a specific population of CD4+ T cells present in the blood of cancer patients “Th7R cells” and reported that they correlate with patient survival. In this study, the researchers demonstrated that these Th7R cells cooperate with precursors of exhausted T cells, known as “Tpex cells,” in tumor tissue and play a central role in sustaining antitumor immunity.
 
The title of the paper is “The CD4+ T cell population partners with Tpex CD8+ T cells to mediate antitumor immunity in the tumor microenvironment.” Analysis of tumor tissue, blood, and lymph nodes from lung cancer patients (some from renal cell carcinoma patients) demonstrated that Th7R cells support the maintenance of Tpex cells in the tumor microenvironment, acting as a “command center” to sustain the immune response.
 
Furthermore, in mouse experiments, administration with Th7R cells increased Tpex cells in the tumor microenvironment and enhanced anti-tumor effects. These results suggest a mechanism by which Th7R cells support the immune response in tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) formed in tumor tissue.
 
This research expands on results on predicting the efficacy of anti-CTLA-4 therapy reported at the 2024 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). This research may lead to improved assessment of the effecacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors administered preoperatively and to optimal treatment selection for each patient.
 
[Note] Our company of ImmuniT Research Inc. hold exclusive rights to the patent filed by Saitama Medical University regarding the clinical use of Th7R cells, and is working to apply this technology to diagnostic and drug development. This announcement proves that Th7R cells are essential as “partners in the ongoing attack on cancer,” further enhancing the significance of measuring Th7R cells and providing therapy using Th7R cells, which we believe will greatly contribute to the promotion of personalized medicine.