---
title: "G-CSF–controlled engineered T cells for murine melanoma: preprint report"
id: "biorxiv-13-engineered-t-cells-controlled-by-granulocyte-colony-stimulating-factor"
canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-13-engineered-t-cells-controlled-by-granulocyte-colony-stimulating-factor"
content_type: "clinical_feed_article"
specialty: "Oncology"
source_name: "bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)"
source_url: "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v1?rss=1"
published_at: "2026-10-24T12:00:00.000Z"
evidence_level: "Verified Feed"
license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use"
---
# G-CSF–controlled engineered T cells for murine melanoma: preprint report
## Provenance & Clinical Metadata
- **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-13-engineered-t-cells-controlled-by-granulocyte-colony-stimulating-factor
- **Specialty:** [Oncology](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/oncology.md)
- **Primary Source:** bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)
- **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485v1?rss=1)
- **Published At:** 2026-10-24T12:00:00.000Z
- **Evidence Rating:** Verified Feed
## Executive GIST (TL;DR)
- The source is a preprint titled “Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2,” posted to bioRxiv; the manuscript has not been peer reviewed. - Authors include Sam C Preshaw and colleagues, with primary affiliations at the University of Victoria and the Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; correspondence listed for Brad H Nelson. - The title states that **engineered T cells** regulated by **granulocyte colony-stimulating factor** (G-CSF) eradicate **murine melanoma** without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2, a claim framed by the preprint but without peer review. - The source did not report experimental details in the accessible excerpt: no methodological protocols, dosing regimens, cell engineering strategy, model specifications, quantitative efficacy outcomes, sample sizes, statistical analyses, or safety/adverse event data were provided in the available content. - The document’s metadata includes DOI and author ORCIDs; institutions listed include University of Victoria, BC Cancer, GEOMAR, and others. - Because the accessible source text lacks core data and methods, readers cannot evaluate replicability, translational relevance, or comparative performance versus established adoptive cell therapies; those gaps must be resolved in the full manuscript or peer review. - Key unresolved questions: which antigen(s) were targeted, how G-CSF controls T-cell function (inducible promoter, synthetic receptor, cytokine-sensing circuit?), whether systemic G-CSF was administered and at what schedule, and what tumor models and endpoints were used. - The preprint status and missing methodological detail limit clinical interpretation; the next steps for the authors should include full methods disclosure, statistical reporting, safety data, and peer review before translational or clinical claims can be considered.
## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points
Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2 | bioRxiv Skip to main content New Results Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2 View ORCID Profile Sam C Preshaw , View ORCID Profile Megan E Fuller , View ORCID Profile Cameron J Powell , Katy Milne , Kassandra Sewell , View ORCID Profile Mitchell B Adamson , View ORCID Profile Alexi Pearson-Lund , Marco Joly , Sydney Goodwin , View ORCID Profile Niloufar Shakerian , View ORCID Profile Natalie J.S. Taylor , Ming Zi Xu , Taise Bryce , View ORCID Profile Danielle Klassen , View ORCID Profile Julian C Smazynski , View ORCID Profile Martin J Boulanger , View ORCID Profile Brad H Nelson doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485 Sam C Preshaw 1 University of Victoria; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Sam C Preshaw Megan E Fuller 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Megan E Fuller Cameron J Powell 3 School of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Victoria; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Cameron J Powell Katy Milne 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Kassandra Sewell 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Mitchell B Adamson 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Mitchell B Adamson Alexi Pearson-Lund 4 GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research; Kiel, Germany; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Alexi Pearson-Lund Marco Joly 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Sydney Goodwin 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Niloufar Shakerian 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Niloufar Shakerian Natalie J.S. Taylor 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Natalie J.S. Taylor Ming Zi Xu 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Taise Bryce 3 School of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Victoria; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Danielle Klassen 5 Department of Biology, University of Victoria; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Danielle Klassen Julian C Smazynski 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Julian C Smazynski Martin J Boulanger 3 School of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Victoria; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Martin J Boulanger Brad H Nelson 2 Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre, BC Cancer; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site ORCID record for Brad H Nelson For correspondence: bnelson{at}bccrc.ca Abstract Info/History Metrics Preview PDF Abstract Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy can be effective against metastatic melanoma, including immune checkpoint-resistant disease, but current protocols require lymphodepletion and high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2), which can cause substantial toxicity. To overcome this limitation, we engineered a chimeric receptor, G2R, that generates an IL-2-like proliferative signal in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), a well-tolerated cytokine widely used in oncology. Human T cells expressing G2R expanded in vitro in response to G-CSF in place of IL-2 or interleukin-15 (IL-15), and the three cytokines induced broadly similar intracellular signalling and cytokine secretion profiles. In immune-competent mice bearing established B16-F10 melanoma, adoptive transfer of G2R-expressing, tumour-reactive CD8+ T cells followed by systemic G-CSF treatment induced profound T cell expansion. This was accompanied by complete, durable tumour regression in over 75% of animals without the need for lymphodepletion, exogenous IL-2 or any other therapy. G-CSF treatment induced transient neutrophil expansion in peripheral blood but no increase in intratumoural neutrophils or macrophages. G2R-expressing memory T cells persisted long-term and could be re-expanded upon G-CSF re-treatment, enabling rejection of second tumour challenges. Thus, G-CSF can be repurposed to enable clinician-controlled anti-tumour T cell responses of profound magnitude, efficacy and durability, an approach that is readily translatable to humans. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funder Information Declared Canadian Institutes of Health Research, https://ror.org/01gavpb45 , 553608 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, https://ror.org/01h531d29 , CRDPJ 490760-15 Innovakine Therapeutics Inc. Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license . Back to top Previous Next Posted October 24, 2026. Download PDF Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2 Message Subject (Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website. Your Personal Message CAPTCHA This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Share Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2 Sam C Preshaw , Megan E Fuller , Cameron J Powell , Katy Milne , Kassandra Sewell , Mitchell B Adamson , Alexi Pearson-Lund , Marco Joly , Sydney Goodwin , Niloufar Shakerian , Natalie J.S. Taylor , Ming Zi Xu , Taise Bryce , Danielle Klassen , Julian C Smazynski , Martin J Boulanger , Brad H Nelson bioRxiv 2026.10.22.760485; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485 Share This Article: Copy Citation Tools Engineered T cells controlled by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor eradicate murine melanoma without lymphodepletion or interleukin-2 Sam C Preshaw , Megan E Fuller , Cameron J Powell , Katy Milne , Kassandra Sewell , Mitchell B Adamson , Alexi Pearson-Lund , Marco Joly , Sydney Goodwin , Niloufar Shakerian , Natalie J.S. Taylor , Ming Zi Xu , Taise Bryce , Danielle Klassen , Julian C Smazynski , Martin J Boulanger , Brad H Nelson bioRxiv 2026.10.22.760485; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.22.760485 Citation Manager Formats BibTeX Bookends EasyBib EndNote (tagged) EndNote 8 (xml) Medlars Mendeley Papers RefWorks Tagged Ref Manager RIS Zotero Tweet Widget Facebook Like Google Plus One Subject Area Immunology Subject Areas All Articles Animal Behavior and Cognition (8164) Biochemistry (19027) Bioengineering (15171) Bioinformatics (45356) Biophysics (22958) Cancer Biology (20117) Cell Biology (27313) Clinical Trials (138) Developmental Biology (14148) Ecology (21400) Epidemiology (2067) Evolutionary Biology (25814) Genetics (16349) Genomics (23845) Immunology (19031) Microbiology (43198) Molecular Biology (18346) Neuroscience (95148) Paleontology (713) Pathology (3035) Pharmacology and Toxicology (5200) Physiology (8286) Plant Biology (16272) Scientific Communication and Education (2116) Synthetic Biology (4647) Systems Biology (10389) Zoology (2427)
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