Examining PD-L1 expression in a PDA mouse model and human patients
In work published in Nature Immunology in 2020, scientists showed that PD-L1 expression increased together with tumor progression in a mouse model of PDA.
To study PD-L1 expression consequences on T cell activity, scientists applied PD-1 Fc (a chimera of PD-1 protein with a fragment crystallizable region to allow the protein to bind the cells) to human T cells in vitro. After three days of treatment, they analysed the expression of immune markers with the RNA-Seq sequencing technique. They found that PD-1 activation downregulates the expression of genes associated with the immunogenic response.
Harnessing AIM Biotech BioAvatar technology using idenTx chips to study PD-1/PD-L1 signaling
To study PD-L1 effects on a human-like tumor model, the authors used AIM Biotech’s idenTx chip to grow tissue spheroids obtained from human patient PDA biopsies. The spheroids were injected into the central chamber of the idenTx chip and treated with PD-1 Fc, or IgG Fc as a control. They found that spheroids treated with PD-1 Fc demonstrated accelerated cell growth compared to the control condition. Also, the treatment suppressed intra-tumoral T cell phenotype, highlighting the role of PD-L1 binding to T cells as a tumor-promoting tolerogenic effector.
The easy-to-implement and cost-effective human-like tumor model developed for this study was made possible by leveraging AIM Biotech’s idenTx chips and BioAvatar technology, enabling scientists to study previously unknown impacts of PD-L1 expression on T cell populations.
Gathering more predictive, human-relevant data is what AIM Biotech is all about. Want to discuss how idenTx can transform your drug discovery research? Use the chat bubble on the bottom right corner of this page, and we’ll reach out to you—or check out our Contact Us page. Also be sure to look at how our contract research services can help streamline your workflow.
*PD-L1 engagement on T cells promotes self-tolerance and suppression of neighboring macrophages and effector T cells in cancer. Diskin, B., Adam, S., Cassini, M.F. et al. Nat Immunol 21, 442–454 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-020-0620-x