IL-21 modulates memory and exhaustion phenotype of T-cells in a fatty acid oxidation-dependent manner.

ABSTRACT: T-cell-based therapies represent a promising strategy for cancer treatment. In this context, cytokines are discussed as a bona fide instrument for fine-tuning T- cell biology. One promising candidate is the pleiotropic interleukin-21 (IL-21) with only little being known regarding its direct effects on human T-cells. Thus, we sought out to characterize the impact of IL-21 on T-cell metabolism, fitness, and differentiation. Culturing T-cells in presence of IL-21 elicited a metabolic skewing away from aerobic glycolysis towards fatty acid oxidation (FAO). These changes of the metabolic framework were paralleled by increased mitochondrial fitness and biogenesis. However, oxidative stress levels were not increased but rather decreased. Furthermore, elevated FAO and mitochondrial biomass togethe

SUBMITTER: Loschinski R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5862566 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature