Harnessing the power of V δ2 cells in cancer immunotherapy

Summary γδ T cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that have been implicated in immunosurveillance against infections and tumours. In the peripheral blood of humans the γδ T cell pool is made up predominantly of V δ2 cells, which can detect both foreign and self‐metabolites of the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway. This unique axis of antigen recognition enables V δ2 cells to respond to a range of pathogenic infections as well as perturbations in endogenous isoprenoid biosynthesis that can occur during cell stress and malignant transformation. There has been growing interest in V δ2 cells as a potential avenue for cancer immunotherapy, and a number of strategies have been utilized in an attempt to boost the anti‐tumour response of V δ2 cells in patients. In this review we discuss critically the evidence that V δ2 cells contribute to the cytotoxic response against tumours and evaluate current immunotherapeutic approaches that target these cells in cancer patients, with specific focus on their shortcomings and how they may be improved.