{
  "abstract": "In the hepatitis-B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma tumor microenvironment (TME), monocytes reportedly impede natural T cell functions via PD-L1/PD-1 signaling. However, it remains unclear if T cell receptor (TCR)-redirected T cells are similarly inhibited. We thus developed a 3D intrahepatic TME microfluidic model to investigate the immunosuppressive potential of monocytes toward HBV-specific TCR T cells and the role of PD-L1/PD-1 signaling. Interestingly, in our 3D static microfluidic model, we observed that monocytes suppressed only retrovirally transduced (Tdx) TCR T cell cytotoxicity toward cancer cells via PD-L1/PD-1 while mRNA electroporated (EP) TCR T cell cytotoxicity was not affected by the presence of monocytes. Importantly, when co-cultured in 2D, both Tdx and EP TCR T cell cytotoxicity toward cancer cells were not suppressed by monocytes, suggesting our 3D model as a superior tool compared to standard 2D assays for predicting TCR T cell efficacy in a pre-clinical setting, that can thus be used to improve current immunotherapy strategies.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Siew Cheng Wong"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sharon Wei Ling Lee"
    },
    {
      "name": "Giulia Adriani"
    },
    {
      "name": "Erica Ceccarello"
    },
    {
      "name": "Andrea Pavesi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Anthony Tanoto Tan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Antonio Bertoletti"
    },
    {
      "name": "Roger Dale Kamm"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/egrrz05mdarp2.bib",
  "cited_by": 109,
  "doi": "10.3389/fimmu.2018.00416",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "egrrz05mdarp2",
  "issns": [
    "1664-3224",
    "1664-3224"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05776445v1",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.sdv"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "1.sdv.imm"
    ],
    [
      "hal",
      "2.sdv.imm.imm"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2730|Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W2789945528",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00416/pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-03",
  "publisher": "Frontiers",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/egrrz05mdarp2.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:46Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05776445",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.science/hal-05776445v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "hal:1.sdv.imm",
      "subfield": "immunology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Characterizing the role of monocytes in T cell cancer immunotherapy using a 3d microfluidic model",
  "title_text": "Characterizing the role of monocytes in T cell cancer immunotherapy using a 3d microfluidic model",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:46Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/egrrz05mdarp2",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Immunology",
  "versions": []
}