Project description:CRISPR screens in CD8+ T cells have uncovered novel immunotherapy targets for cancer; however, these screens used activated CD8+ T cells, precluding identification of genes regulating CD8+ T cell priming in the tumor-draining lymph (tdLN). Here we present an 899-gene in vivo CRISPR screen in naive CD8+ T cells, which identifies novel regulators of CD8+ T cell responses in the tdLN and tumor. We find that STUB1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, significantly regulates CD8+ T cell accumulation in both tissues and Stub1 knockout (KO) CD8+ T cells improve tumor growth control. Mechanistically, STUB1 interacts with the adapter protein, CHIC2, to regulate IL-27Rα, which is required for the increased anti-tumor responses of Stub1 and Chic2 KO CD8+ T cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the STUB1-CHIC2 complex is a novel regulator of cytokine receptor expression in CD8+ T cells and provide the rationale for inhibiting this pathway to improve CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity.
Project description:CRISPR screens in CD8+ T cells have uncovered novel immunotherapy targets for cancer; however, these screens used activated CD8+ T cells, precluding identification of genes regulating CD8+ T cell priming in the tumor-draining lymph (tdLN). Here we present an 899-gene in vivo CRISPR screen in naive CD8+ T cells, which identifies novel regulators of CD8+ T cell responses in the tdLN and tumor. We find that STUB1, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, significantly regulates CD8+ T cell accumulation in both tissues and Stub1 knockout (KO) CD8+ T cells improve tumor growth control. Mechanistically, STUB1 interacts with the adapter protein, CHIC2, to regulate IL-27Rα, which is required for the increased anti-tumor responses of Stub1 and Chic2 KO CD8+ T cells. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the STUB1-CHIC2 complex is a novel regulator of cytokine receptor expression in CD8+ T cells and provide the rationale for inhibiting this pathway to improve CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity.
Project description:In vivo CRISPR screens using activated CD8+ T cells have uncovered novel immunotherapy targets for cancer, yet similar high-throughput screens have not been performed using naive CD8+ T cells. Here we present an 899-gene in vivo CRISPR screen using naive CD8+ T cells, which identified the E3 ubiquitin ligase STUB1 as a novel negative regulator of anti-tumor CD8+ T cell responses. Stub1 knockout (KO) CD8+ T cells control tumor growth across multiple murine models. Mechanistically, STUB1 interacts with the adapter protein CHIC2 to regulate IL-27Rα expression in mouse and human CD8+ T cells. IL-27Rα expression is essential for the accumulation of Stub1 KO or Chic2 KO CD8+ T cells in tumors and tumor growth control. Together, these findings demonstrate that the STUB1-CHIC2 complex is a novel regulator of cytokine receptor expression in CD8+ T cells and provide the rationale for inhibiting this pathway to improve CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity.
Project description:In vivo CRISPR screens in CD8+ T cells have previously uncovered targets for cancer immunotherapy, yet they have not been used to compare the key regulators important at different stages of CD8+ T cell activation. Here we present two 899-gene in vivo CRISPR screens using naive or activated CD8+ T cells to address this gap. These screens identified the E3 ubiquitin ligase STUB1 as a novel negative regulator of anti-tumor CD8+ T cells. Stub1 knockout (KO) CD8+ T cells control tumor growth across multiple murine models. Mechanistically, STUB1 interacts with the adapter protein CHIC2 to regulate cytokine receptor expression in mouse and human CD8+ T cells. Among the cytokine receptors regulated by this complex, IL-27Ra is essential for Stub1/Chic2 KO-mediated tumor growth control. Together, these findings establish that the STUB1-CHIC2 complex as a novel regulator of cytokine receptor expression in CD8+ T cells and provide rationale for inhibiting this pathway to enhance CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity.
Project description:TGFb signaling is a major pathway associated with poor clinical outcome in patients with
advanced metastatic cancers and non-response to immune checkpoint blockade, particularly in the immune-excluded tumor phenotype. While previous pre-clinical studies demonstrated that converting tumors from an excluded to an inflamed phenotype and curative anti-tumor immunity require attenuation of both PD-L1 and TGFb signaling, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unclear. Recent studies suggest that stem cell-like CD8 T cells (TSCL) can differentiate into non-exhausted CD8 T effector cells that drive durable anti-tumor immunity. Here, we show that TGFb and PD-L1 restrain TSCL expansion as well as replacement of progenitor exhausted and dysfunctional CD8 T cells with non-exhausted IFNghi CD8 T effector cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Blockade of TGFb and PD-L1 generated IFNghi CD8 T effector cells with enhanced motility, enabling both their accumulation in the TME and increased interaction with other cell types. Ensuing IFNg signaling markedly transformed myeloid, stromal, and tumor niches to yield a broadly immune-supportive ecosystem. Blocking IFNg completely abolished the effect of anti-PD-L1/ TGFb combination therapy. Our data suggest that TGFb works in concert with PD-L1 to prevent TSCL expansion and replacement of exhausted CD8 T cells with fresh CD8
T effector cells, thereby maintaining the CD8 T cell compartment in a dysfunctional state.
Project description:The expansion, trafficking and functional effectiveness of adoptively transferred CD8+ T-cells play a critical role in mediating effective anti-tumor immunity. However, the mechanisms which program the highly proliferative and functional state of CD8+ T-cells are not completely understood. We hypothesized that IL-12, a cytokine commonly induced by TLR activation, could enhance T-cell priming by altering responsiveness to antigen and cytokines. Priming of tumor specific CD8+ T-cells in the presence of IL-12 induced the acquisition of a 'polyfunctional' effector response and increased the generation of memory cells. Moreover, IL-12 priming also promoted high levels of the IL-2 receptor alpha-chain (CD25) and robust IL-2 mediated activation of STAT5. This sensitivity to IL-2 translated into enhanced in vivo proliferation of adoptively transferred CD8+ T-cells. Furthermore, real-time, in vivo imaging of T-cell trafficking confirmed the ability of IL-12 priming to drive in vivo proliferation. IL-12 priming enhanced the anti-tumor function of adoptively transferred cells by reducing established subcutaneous tumor burden, and significantly increasing survival in an established intracranial tumor model. Finally, IL-12 priming of human PBMCs generates tumor specific T-cells phenotypically and functionally similar to IL-12 primed Pmel-1 T-cells. These results highlight IL-12 as an important mediator of CD8+ T-cell effector function and anti-tumor immunity. We primed Pmel-1 TCR transgenic CD8+ T-cells with cognate antigen and either IL-2 or IL-12 and compared their gene expression profiles. This was used to identify pathways or genes necessary for anti-tumor activity in vivo. RNA was isolated from Pmel-1 T-cells primed with antigen and cytokine for 6 days and hybridized to Affymetrix arrays.
Project description:CD8 T cells are critical in combating cancer, but their effectiveness is hindered by exhaustion due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Here, we examine the role of IL-3 in coordinating anti-tumor immunity resulting in increased CD8 T-cell functionality. IL-3 treatment of tumor-bearing mice increases CD8 T-cell effector function and protections against tumor progression. However, there is no evidence that IL-3 had direct effect on CD8 T cells. Instead, IL-3 exerts influences basophils to excrete IL-4, which is responsible for inducing increased IFN-γ production and viability of CD8 T cells. Taken together, these findings unveil an IL-3-mediated CD8 T cell-basophil crosstalk that regulates anti-tumor immunity, and offers a encouraging approach for augmenting cancer immunotherapy.
Project description:The cytokine IFNγ differentially impacts on tumors upon immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Despite our understanding of downstream signaling events, less is known about 36 regulation of its receptor (IFNγ-R1). With an unbiased genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen for critical regulators of IFNγ-R1 cell surface abundance, we identified STUB1 as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for IFNγ-R1 in complex with its signal-relaying kinase JAK1. STUB1 mediates ubiquitination-dependent proteasomal degradation of IFNγ-R1/JAK1 complex through IFNγ-R1K285 and JAK1K249. Conversely, STUB1 inactivation amplifies IFNγ signaling, sensitizing tumor cells to cytotoxic T cells in vitro. This was corroborated by an anticorrelation between STUB1 expression and IFNγ response in ICB-treated patients. Consistent with the context-dependent effects of IFNγ in vivo, anti-PD-1 response was increased in heterogenous tumors comprising both wildtype and STUB1-deficient cells but not full STUB1 knockout tumors. These results uncover STUB1 as a critical regulator of IFNγ-R1, and highlight the context-dependency of STUB1-regulated IFNγ signaling for ICB outcome.