Age-related features of lung cancer treatment using reprogrammed CD8 positive T cells in mice subjected to injection of Lewis lung carcinoma cells.

Background: Awareness of age-related features of carcinogenesis and the importance of cellular immunity is crucial for developing effective antitumor therapies for specific patient groups.

Methods: In this study, we examined different populations of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in "young" (8-10 weeks) and "aged" (80-82 weeks) C57BL/6 male mice. We used an orthotopic model of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) to evaluate the effectiveness of cell therapy targeting lung cancer through reprogrammed CD8-positive T cells (rCD8+ T cells) in mice from two different ages.

Results: The findings revealed that tumor progression with age is primarily caused by impaired recruitment of T cells to the lungs. Additionally, a lower number of CTCs and CSCs were observed in younger mice compared to the older mice. The antitumor effect of rCD8+ T cells in aged mice was found to be inferior to that in young mice, which can be attributed to the reduced impact of therapy on specific CSCs populations.

Conclusions: These results offer new insights into the treatment of lung cancer using rCD8+ T cells. Considering the age-related characteristics influencing disease progression, this therapy has the potential to significantly enhance the effectiveness of treatment methods.