Treatment implications of T cell DNA damage in anti-tumor immunity
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- 2Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis (Ministry of Education), Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- 3College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
Abstract
T cell activity is fundamental to effective immunotherapies and sustained tumor control. Recent studies have demonstrated that the therapeutic potential of T cells is notably affected by DNA damage dynamics. Notably, DNA damage within T cells is both a predictive biomarker for therapeutic responses and a druggable vulnerability whose modulation enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of immunotherapies and targeted treatments. This review is aimed at assessing current understanding of the origins of DNA damage in T cells, its consequences, and therapeutic implications within the tumor microenvironment and during anticancer treatment. By elucidating the mechanisms through which DNA damage dictates T cell fate and function, we highlight its dual role as a biomarker and a therapeutic target. Our goal is to accelerate the optimization of immunotherapeutic regimens and the development of combinatorial approaches leveraging a dynamically regulated immune microenvironment by integrating T cell-intrinsic DNA damage response into patient stratification and trial design, together with rational optimization of genotoxic therapies and immunotherapy, to enable a durable response while minimizing immune toxicity.
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BibTeX
@article{jiao2026treatment,
title = {{Treatment implications of T cell DNA damage in anti-tumor immunity}},
author = {Xiaofei Jiao and Yiyang Shen and Yixuan Tang and Jiahao Liu and Qinglei Gao},
journal = {Cancer Biology \& Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020},
url = {https://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Treatment implications of T cell DNA damage in anti-tumor immunity
AU - Xiaofei Jiao
AU - Yiyang Shen
AU - Yixuan Tang
AU - Jiahao Liu
AU - Qinglei Gao
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/20
JO - Cancer Biology & Medicine
DO - 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020
UR - https://doi.org/10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2026.0020
AB - T cell activity is fundamental to effective immunotherapies and sustained tumor control. Recent studies have demonstrated that the therapeutic potential of T cells is notably affected by DNA damage dynamics. Notably, DNA damage within T cells is both a predictive biomarker for therapeutic responses and a druggable vulnerability whose modulation enhances the anti-tumor efficacy of immunotherapies and targeted treatments. This review is aimed at assessing current understanding of the origins of DNA damage in T cells, its consequences, and therapeutic implications within the tumor microenvironment and during anticancer treatment. By elucidating the mechanisms through which DNA damage dictates T cell fate and function, we highlight its dual role as a biomarker and a therapeutic target. Our goal is to accelerate the optimization of immunotherapeutic regimens and the development of combinatorial approaches leveraging a dynamically regulated immune microenvironment by integrating T cell-intrinsic DNA damage response into patient stratification and trial design, together with rational optimization of genotoxic therapies and immunotherapy, to enable a durable response while minimizing immune toxicity.
SN - 2095-3941
ER -