OCT4&SOX2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes plus programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor presented with synergistic effect on killing lung cancer stem-like cells in vitro and treating drug-resistant lung cancer mice in vivo.

This study aimed to investigate the synergistic effect of octamer-binding transcription factor 4 and sex determining region Y-box 2 (OCT4&SOX2)-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor on killing lung cancer stem-like cells (LCSCs) and their efficacy in treating drug-resistant lung cancer (DRLC) mice. OCT4&SOX2-specific CTLs and PD-1 inhibitor with differed doses were applied to treat PC9 cells and PC9 LCSCs. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK8) assay and flow cytometry (FCM) assay with carboxyfluorescein diacetate/succinimidyl ester staining target cells before treatment and propidium iodide (PI) staining dead cells after treatment were conducted to detect the cytotoxic activity. DRLC mice were constructed by injection of PC9 LCSCs suspension and Matrigel into left lung of SD mice. DRLC mice were randomly divided into five groups: control group, cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 CTLs group, OCT4&SOX2 CTLs group, PD-1 inhibitor group, and OCT4&SOX2 CTLs + PD-1 inhibitor group. In vitro, both CCK8 assay and FCM assay disclosed that OCT4&SOX2-specific CTLs plus PD-1 inhibitor presented with elevated cytotoxic activity on PC9 cells and PC9 LCSCs. In vivo, tumor volume and tumor weight were decreased, while tumor necrosis and tumor apoptosis were increased in OCT4&SOX2 CTLs group than CMV pp65 CTLs group and control group, and in OCT4&SOX2 CTLs + PD-1 inhibitor group than OCT4&SOX2 CTLs group and PD-1 inhibitor group. In addition, CD8 expression was increased while OCT4&SOX2 expressions were decreased in OCT4&SOX2 CTLs + PD-1 inhibitor group than OCT4&SOX2 CTLs group and PD-1 inhibitor group. In conclusion, OCT4&SOX2-specific CTLs and PD-1 inhibitor presented with the synergistic effect on killing LCSCs in vitro and treating DRLC mice in vivo.