Type 2 Innate Lymphocytes are Crucial for Anti-tumour Immunity and Their Adoptive Transfer is an Effective Immunotherapy Against Cancer

Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) potentiate adaptive immune responses however whether they have a role in mediating cancer immunity has not been assessed. Here, we report that mice genetically lacking ILC2s have significantly increased tumour growth rates and higher frequency of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and metastasis to distal organs. Our data supports the conclusions that tumour-infiltrating ILC2s help mediate tumour immune-surveillance by promoting adaptive T cells responses and that ILC2s play a hitherto undescribed role in controlling metastasis. Furthermore, we demonstrate that adoptive transfer of ILC2s mediates a dramatic regression in cancer growth. Therefore, the adoptive transfer of ILC2s provides a new immunotherapeutic approach with the potential to aid in the eradication of cancers.

2型先天淋巴细胞（Type 2 innate lymphoid cells, ILC2）可增强适应性免疫应答，但其在介导肿瘤免疫中的作用尚未得到评估。本研究发现，ILC2基因缺失小鼠的肿瘤生长速率显著升高，循环肿瘤细胞（circulating tumour cells, CTCs）检出频率以及远端器官转移率均显著提升。本研究数据支持以下结论：肿瘤浸润性ILC2可通过促进适应性T细胞应答介导肿瘤免疫监视，且ILC2在控制肿瘤转移过程中发挥了此前未被报道的功能。此外，本研究证实，过继转移ILC2可显著诱导肿瘤生长消退。因此，ILC2的过继转移为癌症根除提供了一种全新的免疫治疗策略，具备潜在的临床应用价值。