A mathematical model of cytotoxic and helper T cell interactions in a tumor microenvironment

Journal article

We develop a mathematical model to examine the role of helper and cytotoxic T cells in an anti-tumour immune response. The model comprises three ordinary differential equations describing the dynamics of the tumour cells, the helper, and the cytotoxic T cells and implicitly accounts for immunosuppressive effects. The aim is to investigate how the anti-tumour immune response varies with the level of infiltrating helper and cytotoxic T cells.

Through a combination of analytical studies and numerical simulations, our model exemplifies the three Es of immunoediting: elimination, equilibrium, and escape. Specifically, it reveals that the three Es of immunoediting depend highly on the infiltration rates of the helper and cytotoxic T cells. The model's results indicate that both the helper and cytotoxic T cells play a key role in tumour elimination. They also show that combination therapies that boost the immune system and block tumour-induced immunosuppression may have a synergistic effect in reducing tumour growth.

Authors: Dritschel, H; Waters, S; Roller, A; Byrne, H

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Journal: Letters in Biomathematics More from this journal
• Volume: 5
• Issue: S1
• Pages: S36–S68
• Publication date: 2018-05-14
• Acceptance date: 2018-04-14
• DOI: 10.1080/23737867.2018.1465863
• EISSN: 2373-7867
• Keywords: Tcells; cancer; asymptotics; immunology; ODEs