Stressed Workers

Crucial defences against infection and disease, T cells are white blood cells that can either destroy problem cells themselves, or recruit other immune cells to assist. Able to target cancer cells, T cells are also key tools in immunotherapy, treatments seeking to boost the immune system’s own responses. To better understand the properties of T cells in the tumour microenvironment surrounding cancer cells, researchers examined gene expression patterns in T cells associated with 16 different types of cancer. One key finding was the discovery of populations of stressed T cells; in this representation, with cancer cells in beige and T cells in dark red, white dots indicate expression of heat shock genes, a tell-tale sign of stress. Less effective in fighting cancer, these stressed cells may contribute to resistance to immunotherapy. Investigating why they become stressed, and how this affects their behaviour, could help unlock more successful treatments.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

Emmanuelle Briolat

Writer

A researcher specialising in visual signals in Lepidoptera, camouflage and the effects of light pollution, Emmanuelle’s writing covers a range of topics, from biomedical research to children’s books about moth defences.

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• Image by Yunhe Liu from work by Yanshuo Chu and colleagues
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA
• Image copyright held by the original authors
• Research published in Nature Medicine, May 2023