CD4+ T cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma express exhaustion associated transcription factors TOX and TOX2
J. E. Veldman, Jéssica Rodrigues Plaça, Lauren C. Chong, Miente Martijn Terpstra, Mirjam F. Mastik, Léon C.L.T. van Kempen, Klaas Kok, Tomohiro Aoki, Christian Steidl, Anke van den Berg, Lydia Visser, Arjan Diepstra
Abstract
, which were amongst the 100 significantly enriched genes in comparison with the CD4+CD26+ T cells. Findings were validated in single-cell RNA sequencing data from an independent cohort. Interestingly, immunohistochemistry revealed predominant and high frequency of staining for TOX and TOX2 in the T cells attached to the tumor cells. In conclusion, the dominant CD4+CD26- T cell population in cHL is antigen experienced, polyclonal, and exhausted. This population is likely a main contributor to the very high response rates to immune checkpoint inhibitors in cHL.