The effect of ibrutinib on neutrophil and γδ T cell functions

Abstract

Ibrutinib is a BTK/ITK inhibitor with efficacy for the treatment of various lymphoid cancers, including CLL. Considering that innate and adaptative immune defects are a dominant feature of CLL patients, we evaluated whether in vitro ibrutinib affects the survival and function of neutrophils and γδ T cells, key players of the early immune response against microbes. Neutrophils and γδ T cells were obtained from peripheral blood of healthy donors and CLL patients. We found that ibrutinib reduces the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and bacteria killing capacity, and slightly impairs neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) production without affecting bacteria-uptake and CD62L-downregulation induced by fMLP or aggregated IgG. In addition, ibrutinib reduces γδ T cell activation and CD107a degranulation induced by phosphoantigens or anti-CD3. These findings are in agreement with previous data suggesting that ibrutinib interferes with the protective immune response to pathogens, particularly Mycobacteria and Aspergillus.

Keywords:

• Ibrutinib neutrophils
• CD62L
• ROS
• NETS
• gamma delta T cell activation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank María Tejeda and Romina Pagano for technical assistance and Florencia Sabbione for bacteria culture support and advice and Federico Fuentes for confocal microscopy support. We also thank CLL patients and healthy donors who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

RG receives a scientific research grant from Janssen (non-clinical Investigator Initiated Study). RFB receives payment for lectures from AbbVie, Microsules and Varifarma. GC receives payment for lectures from Janssen. The remaining authors declare no competing financial interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Janssen, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica. (https://www.argentina.gob.ar/ciencia/agencia/fondo-para-la-investigacion-cientifica-y-tecnologica-foncyt) and CONICET (https://www.conicet.gov.ar/).