Distinctive features of tumor-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes in human colorectal cancer

gamma delta T cells usually infiltrate many different types of cancer, but it is unclear whether they inhibit or promote tumor progression. Moreover, properties of tumor-infiltrating gamma delta T cells and those in the corresponding normal tissue remain largely unknown. Here we have studied features of gamma delta T cells in colorectal cancer, normal colon tissue and peripheral blood, and correlated their levels with clinicopathologic hallmarks. Flow cytometry and transcriptome analyses showed that the tumor comprised a highly variable rate of TILs (5-90%) and 4% gamma delta T cells on average, with the majority expressing V delta 1. Most V delta 1 and V delta 2 T cells showed a predominant effector memory phenotype and had reduced production of IFN-gamma which was likely due to yet unidentified inhibitory molecules present in cancer stem cell secretome. Transcriptome analyses revealed that patients containing abundant gamma delta T cells had significantly longer 5-year disease free survival rate, suggesting their efficacy in controlling tumor at very early stage.