Project description:Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) regulate cell cycle progression from the G1 to S phase. Recent findings have demonstrated that CDK4/6 inhibition (CDK4/6i) enhances antitumor immunity, as evidenced by increased tumor infiltration of CD8+ T cells, though the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Our current study reveals that CDK4/6i enhances intratumoral CD8+ T cell infiltration in breast tumors through the functional reprogramming of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), facilitating indirect interactions between tumor cells and CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, CDK4/6i enhances the proliferation and activation of M1 macrophages and promote the polarization of M2 to M1 macrophages via the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)-CD44/CD74 axis between tumor cells and macrophages. CDK4/6i-trained M1 TAMs increase and activate CD8+ T cells through MHC-I antigen presentation machinery. Inhibition of MIF in tumor cells or loss of MIF reverses the immunostimulatory effects of CDK4/6i on macrophages and subsequent CD8+ T cell antitumor immunity. Therefore, CDK4/6i-trained M1 TAM supernatant therapy surmounts the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and invokes a tumor response to low-dose PD-1 immune checkpoint blockade therapy in breast cancers.
Project description:Sensing of extracellular metabolites controls CD8+ T cell function. Their accumulation can occur through export by specialized molecules, such as the release channel Pannexin-1 (Panx1). Here, we report that T cell-specific Panx1 is needed for efficient CD8+ T cell responses to viral infection and cancer. Panx1 favors both the expansion of effector CD8+ T cells and the survival of memory CD8+ T cells. Our data suggests that, while memory CD8+ T cells require Panx1 for mitochondrial function, Panx1 promotes the glycolytic pathway in effector CD8+ T cells. Panx1 promotes memory CD8+ T cell survival together with the eATP sensor P2RX7. However, Panx1 induces effector CD8+ T cells independently of eATP. Rather, we found an unexpected link between Panx1, sodium lactate export and the activation of effector CD8+ T cells. Therefore, Panx1 regulates effector and memory CD8+ T cells through export of distinct metabolites and by engaging different intracellular pathways.
Project description:Sensing of extracellular metabolites controls CD8+ T cell function. Their accumulation can occur through export by specialized molecules, such as the release channel Pannexin-1 (Panx1). Here, we report that T cell-specific Panx1 is needed for efficient CD8+ T cell responses to viral infection and cancer. Panx1 favors both the expansion of effector CD8+ T cells and the survival of memory CD8+ T cells. Our data suggests that, while memory CD8+ T cells require Panx1 for mitochondrial function, Panx1 promotes the glycolytic pathway in effector CD8+ T cells. Panx1 promotes memory CD8+ T cell survival together with the eATP sensor P2RX7. However, Panx1 induces effector CD8+ T cells independently of eATP. Rather, we found an unexpected link between Panx1, sodium lactate export and the activation of effector CD8+ T cells. Therefore, Panx1 regulates effector and memory CD8+ T cells through export of distinct metabolites and by engaging different intracellular pathways.
Project description:Pharmacologicalinhibitors of cyclin dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are an approvedtreatment forhormone receptor-positive breast cancer and are currently under evaluation across hundreds of clinical trials for other cancertypes. The clinical success of these inhibitorsis largely attributedto well-defined tumor-intrinsic cytostatic mechanisms, while their emerging role as immunomodulatory agents is lessunderstood. Usingintegrated epigenomic, transcriptomic and proteomicanalyses, we demonstrateda novel action of CDK4/6inhibitorsin promoting the phenotypic and functional acquisition of immunological T cell memory.Short-term priming with a CDK4/6inhibitorpromoted long-termendogenousanti-tumor T cell immunityin mice, enhanced the persistence and therapeutic efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells, and induced an RB-dependent T cell phenotype supportive offavorable responses to immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma patients.Together, thesemechanistic insights significantlybroaden the prospective utility of CDK4/6 inhibitors as clinical tools to boostanti-tumorT cell immunity.
Project description:T cells receive numerous positive and negative signals during primary antigen encounter that control their proliferation and function, but how these signals are integrated to modulate T cell memory has not been fully characterized. In these studies, we demonstrate that combining seemingly opposite signals, CTLA-4 blockade and rapamycin-mediated mTOR inhibition, during in vivo T cell priming leads to both an increase in the frequency of memory CD8+ T cells and improved memory responses to tumors and bacterial challenges. This enhanced efficacy corresponds to increased early expansion and memory precursor differentiation of CD8+ T cells and increased mitochondrial biogenesis and spare respiratory capacity in memory CD8+ T cells in mice treated with anti-CTLA-4 and rapamycin during immunization. Collectively, these results reveal that mTOR inhibition cooperates with rather than antagonizes blockade of CTLA-4, promoting unrestrained effector function and proliferation and an optimal metabolic program for CD8+ T cell memory. Total RNA was isolated from FACS-sorted, antigen-specific CD8+T cells from different treatment conditions at 5 or 35 days after primary T cell activation
Project description:Memory CD8+ T cells are an essential component of protective immunity. Signaling via mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been implicated in the regulation of the differentiation of effector and memory T cells. However, little is understood about the mechanisms that control mTOR activity, or the effector pathways regulated by mTOR, in this process. We describe here that tuberous sclerosis 1 (Tsc1), a regulator of mTOR signaling, plays a crucial role in promoting the differentiation and function of memory CD8+ T cells in response to Listeria monocytogenes infection. Mice with specific deletion of Tsc1 in antigen-experienced CD8+ T cells evoked normal effector responses, but were markedly impaired in the generation of memory T cells and their recall responses to antigen re-exposure in a cell-intrinsic manner. Tsc1 deficiency suppressed the generation of memory-precursor effector cells (MPECs) while promoting short-lived effector cell (SLEC) differentiation. Functional genomic analysis indicated that Tsc1 coordinated gene expression programs underlying immune function, transcriptional regulation and cell metabolism. Furthermore, Tsc1 deletion led to excessive mTORC1 activity and dysregulated cellular metabolism including glycolytic and oxidative metabolism. These findings establish a Tsc1-mediated checkpoint in linking immune signaling and cell metabolism to orchestrate memory CD8+ T cell development and function. We used microarrays to explore the gene expression profiles differentially expressed in OVA-specific CD8+ T-cells from wild-type (WT; Tsc1-fl/fl and cre-negative) and Tsc1-/- (Tsc1-fl/fl and Granzyme B-cre-positive) mice
Project description:Memory CD8+ T cells are indispensable for maintaining long-term immunity against intracellular pathogens and tumors. Despite their presence in oxygen-deprived tissues of infection sites or tumors, the impact of local oxygen pressure on memory CD8+ T cells has remained largely unclear. We sought to elucidate how oxygen pressure impacted memory CD8+ T cells arising after infection with Listeria monocytogenes-OVA. Our data revealed that reduced oxygen pressure during in vitro culture switched CD8+ T cell metabolism from an OXPHOS to a glycolytic phenotype. Quantitative proteomic analysis showed that limiting oxygen conditions increased the expression of glucose transporters and components of the glycolytic pathway, while decreasing TCA cycle and mitochondrial respiratory chain proteins. The altered CD8+ T cell metabolism did not affect the expansion potential, but enhanced the granzyme B and IFN- production capacity. Memory CD8+ T cells cultured under low oxygen pressure were able to persist long-term in vivo and provided protection against bacterial rechallenge. Taken together, our study indicates that strategies of cellular immune therapy may benefit from reducing oxygen during culture to develop memory CD8+ T cells with superior effector functions .