We have recently reported that lowering the pH to values that are frequently detected in tumors causes reversible anergy in both human and mouse CD8+ T lymphocytes in vitro. The same occurs in vivo, in the tumor microenvironment and the administration of proton pump inhibitors, which buffer tumor acidity, can revert T-cell anergy and increase the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Keywords: T cell; active immunotherapy; adoptive immunotherapy; anergy; melanoma; prostate cancer.