Defining the genetic determinants of CD8 + T cell receptor repertoire in the context of immune checkpoint blockade
- Esther S. Ng
- Gusztav Milotay
- Orion Tong
- Chelsea A. Taylor
- Shawn Sun
- Guangyi Niu
- Robert Watson
- Bo Sun
- Sophie MacKay
- James J. Gilchrist
- Martin Little
- Benjamin P. Fairfax
- Yang Luo
2025-07-25
The relationship between genetic variation and CD8 + T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire usage in patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy for cancer is unexplored. We have conducted a genome-wide and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)–focused analysis of CD8 + TCR repertoire to identify genetic determinants of variable gene (V-gene) and CDR3 K -nucleotide oligomer usage from samples taken before and after ICB ( n = 250). We identify 11 cis and 10 trans V-gene associations, primarily to the MHC, that meet genome-wide significance. TCR clones containing HLA associated V-genes were less stable across treatment, while, at the single-cell level, genetically associated clones demonstrate subset enrichment and increased tumor reactivity expression profiles. Notably, patients with HLA-matched TCR clones demonstrate improved overall survival. Our work indicates a complex relationship between genotype and TCR repertoire in the context of ICB treatment, with implications for understanding factors relating to therapeutic response and patient outcomes.