{
  "abstract": "Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy can be effective against metastatic melanoma, including immune checkpoint-resistant disease, but current protocols require lymphodepletion and high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2), which can cause substantial toxicity. To overcome this limitation, we engineered a chimeric receptor, G2R, that generates an IL-2-like proliferative signal in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a well-tolerated cytokine widely used in oncology. Human T cells expressing G2R expanded in vitro in response to G-CSF in place of IL-2 or interleukin-15 (IL-15), and the three cytokines induced broadly similar intracellular signalling and cytokine secretion profiles. In immune-competent mice bearing established B16-F10 melanoma, adoptive transfer of G2R-expressing, tumour-reactive CD8+ T cells followed by systemic G-CSF treatment induced profound T cell expansion. This was accompanied by complete, durable tumour regression in over 75% of animals without the need for lymphodepletion, exogenous IL-2 or any other therapy. G-CSF treatment induced transient neutrophil expansion in peripheral blood but no increase in intratumoural neutrophils or macrophages. G2R-expressing memory T cells persisted long-term and could be re-expanded upon G-CSF re-treatment, enabling rejection of second tumour challenges. Thus, G-CSF can be repurposed to enable clinician-controlled anti-tumour T cell responses of profound magnitude, efficacy and durability, an approach that is readily translatable to humans.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 17,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "S. C. Preshaw"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. E. Fuller"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. J. Powell"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Milne"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Sewell"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. B. Adamson"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Pearson-Lund"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Joly"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Goodwin"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Shakerian"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. J. S. Taylor"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Z. Xu"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. Bryce"
    },
    {
      "name": "D. Klassen"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. C. Smazynski"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. J. Boulanger"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "B. H. Nelson"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1dz7mzc1mbtnp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.22.760485",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v1.full",
  "id": "1dz7mzc1mbtnp",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "immunology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|CAR-T cell therapy research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223442200",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1dz7mzc1mbtnp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:29:31Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.22.760485",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v2"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:immunology",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2",
  "title_text": "Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:30:13Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1dz7mzc1mbtnp",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}