The Arens lab discovered that a temporary pause in cell division can enhance the function of CD8⁺ T cells, key immune cells responsible for recognizing and eliminating cancer cells. Although cell-cycle inhibiting drugs are widely used in cancer therapy and were long assumed to weaken immune responses, this work demonstrates that a short, controlled interruption can instead reinforce T-cell activity.
During this transient halt in proliferation, CD8⁺ T cells remain fully functional and undergo beneficial metabolic reprogramming. The cells generate more energy, increase nutrient uptake and storage, and produce elevated levels of the cytokine IL-2, which is essential for T-cell survival and expansion.
Once proliferation resumes, these “re-energized” T cells expand more efficiently and mount a stronger anti-tumor response. In mouse models, this approach resulted in improved tumor control across multiple immunotherapy strategies, including checkpoint blockade, T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccination.
By challenging the long-standing assumption that cell-cycle inhibition is inherently detrimental to immune responses, this study from the Arens lab opens new opportunities to optimize immunotherapy through the strategic timing of proliferation pauses. Its feature on the KWF web news highlights the broader impact of this work for cancer research and future therapeutic development.
Link to Nature Immunology (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-025-02407-0)
KWF web news (Amsterdam, 19 January 2026, https://www.kwf.nl/nieuws/tijdelijke-pauze-maakt-immuuncellen-sterker).
Photo: KWF | Strong immune cell representing anti-tumor immunity.