Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment

IntroductionFollowing the approval of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Immunotherapy(CAR-T) in multiple countries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) treatments this year. The utilization of adoptive im...

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Main Authors: Zhaoyi Wang, Zhongqi Diao, Yiyan Zhang, Jiangying Liu, Yeshan Li, Zijin Sun, Huimin Zhen, Haojia Wang, Siyun Yang, Tieshan Wang, Lei Ni
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1537398/full
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author Zhaoyi Wang
Zhongqi Diao
Yiyan Zhang
Jiangying Liu
Yeshan Li
Zijin Sun
Huimin Zhen
Haojia Wang
Siyun Yang
Tieshan Wang
Lei Ni
author_facet Zhaoyi Wang
Zhongqi Diao
Yiyan Zhang
Jiangying Liu
Yeshan Li
Zijin Sun
Huimin Zhen
Haojia Wang
Siyun Yang
Tieshan Wang
Lei Ni
author_sort Zhaoyi Wang
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionFollowing the approval of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Immunotherapy(CAR-T) in multiple countries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) treatments this year. The utilization of adoptive immunotherapy in tumor treatment has become increasingly prominent. Optimizing the cytotoxic effects of immune cells under in vitro culture conditions represents a current hot research topic in this domain.MethodsIn the current experiment, we conducted in vitro heat treatment on Jurkat-derived T cells at 39°C. On this basis, we utilized nine distinct injectable solutions and over 70 monomer components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Subsequently, we co-cultured these treated Jurkat cells with K562-eGFP cells, and the co-culture process was monitored in real-time using the IncuCyte live-cell analysis system. Equally important, we combined HiMAP high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, proteomics, and metabolomics for in-depth examination. We screened for compounds possessing anti-tumor properties and thoroughly investigated their mechanisms of action.Results and DiscussionThe findings indicated that heating treatment augmented the cytotoxic effect of Jurkat cells against malignant tumors, and the optimal effect was achieved when T cells were exposed to 39°C for a duration of 24 hours(48% increase in cell proliferation rate compared to 37°C treatment). By triggering the generation of heat shock proteins and facilitating mitochondrial energy supply, the 39°C treatment amplified the anti-tumor functions of T cells. By analyzing the data, we identified 3 injectable solutions and more than 20 effective monomers capable of further enhancing the tumor-killing ability of T cells. High-throughput transcriptomics studies disclosed that the combination of thermotherapy and TCM promoted Jurkat cell proliferation, activation, and cytotoxic functions of Jurkat cells, thereby activating the Regulation of mitotic cell cycle to exert anti-tumor effects. The integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data demonstrated that Shengmai Injection significantly enhances the tumor-killing effect of Jurkat cells by down-regulating the Regulation of Apoptosis and Regulation of mitotic cell cycle signaling pathways.
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spelling doaj-art-2aae19b576e744e9a55a0b66f4c1c5ec2025-08-20T02:10:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-03-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.15373981537398Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatmentZhaoyi Wang0Zhongqi Diao1Yiyan Zhang2Jiangying Liu3Yeshan Li4Zijin Sun5Huimin Zhen6Haojia Wang7Siyun Yang8Tieshan Wang9Lei Ni10School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Cancer Research Institute, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaBeijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaSchool of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaIntroductionFollowing the approval of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell Immunotherapy(CAR-T) in multiple countries, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) treatments this year. The utilization of adoptive immunotherapy in tumor treatment has become increasingly prominent. Optimizing the cytotoxic effects of immune cells under in vitro culture conditions represents a current hot research topic in this domain.MethodsIn the current experiment, we conducted in vitro heat treatment on Jurkat-derived T cells at 39°C. On this basis, we utilized nine distinct injectable solutions and over 70 monomer components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Subsequently, we co-cultured these treated Jurkat cells with K562-eGFP cells, and the co-culture process was monitored in real-time using the IncuCyte live-cell analysis system. Equally important, we combined HiMAP high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, proteomics, and metabolomics for in-depth examination. We screened for compounds possessing anti-tumor properties and thoroughly investigated their mechanisms of action.Results and DiscussionThe findings indicated that heating treatment augmented the cytotoxic effect of Jurkat cells against malignant tumors, and the optimal effect was achieved when T cells were exposed to 39°C for a duration of 24 hours(48% increase in cell proliferation rate compared to 37°C treatment). By triggering the generation of heat shock proteins and facilitating mitochondrial energy supply, the 39°C treatment amplified the anti-tumor functions of T cells. By analyzing the data, we identified 3 injectable solutions and more than 20 effective monomers capable of further enhancing the tumor-killing ability of T cells. High-throughput transcriptomics studies disclosed that the combination of thermotherapy and TCM promoted Jurkat cell proliferation, activation, and cytotoxic functions of Jurkat cells, thereby activating the Regulation of mitotic cell cycle to exert anti-tumor effects. The integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data demonstrated that Shengmai Injection significantly enhances the tumor-killing effect of Jurkat cells by down-regulating the Regulation of Apoptosis and Regulation of mitotic cell cycle signaling pathways.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1537398/fulladoptive cell therapyChinese medicinetemperatureproteomicsuntargeted metabolomicsenhance immunity
spellingShingle Zhaoyi Wang
Zhongqi Diao
Yiyan Zhang
Jiangying Liu
Yeshan Li
Zijin Sun
Huimin Zhen
Haojia Wang
Siyun Yang
Tieshan Wang
Lei Ni
Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
Frontiers in Immunology
adoptive cell therapy
Chinese medicine
temperature
proteomics
untargeted metabolomics
enhance immunity
title Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
title_full Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
title_fullStr Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
title_full_unstemmed Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
title_short Screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance T cell anti-tumor effects post-heat treatment
title_sort screening and mechanistic study of natural compounds that enhance t cell anti tumor effects post heat treatment
topic adoptive cell therapy
Chinese medicine
temperature
proteomics
untargeted metabolomics
enhance immunity
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1537398/full
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