IL-2(N88D)/CD25 Fusion Protein Enhances Expansion of Antigen-Specific CD8⁺ T Cells to Suppress Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

IL-2(N88D)/CD25 fusion protein significantly boosts expansion of PD-1⁺CD25⁺ CD8⁺ T cells in murine hepatocellular carcinoma models, enhancing tumor infiltration and survival outcomes.

• Why it matters: HCC's immunosuppressive microenvironment limits current immunotherapies, especially affecting dysfunctional CD8⁺ TILs; targeting this subset could improve treatment efficacy.
• What they did: Researchers engineered IL-2(N88D)/CD25 fusion proteins with trimeric receptor bias and tested them in multiple murine HCC models, including orthotopic and tail vein injection systems.
• The result: Treatment increased CD8⁺ T cell infiltration, delayed tumor progression, and further boosted infiltration, activation, and survival with the IL-2(N88D)/CD25 variant, indicating promising therapeutic potential.