Project description:Transcription factors ThPOK and Runx3 regulate the differentiation of "helper" CD4+ and "cytotoxic" CD8+ T cell lineages respectively, inducing single positive (SP) T cells that enter the periphery with the expression of either the CD4 or CD8 co-receptor. Despite the expectation that these cell fates are mutually exclusive and that mature CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) T cells are present in healthy individuals and augmented in the context of disease, yet their molecular features and pathophysiologic role are disputed. Here, we show DP T cells in murine and human tumors as a heterogenous population originating from SP T cells which re-express the opposite co-receptor and acquire features of the opposite cell type's phenotype and function following TCR stimulation. We identified distinct clonally expanded DP T cells in human melanoma and lung cancer by scRNA sequencing and demonstrated their tumor reactivity in cytotoxicity assays. Our findings indicate that antigen stimulation induces SP T cells to differentiate into DP T cell subsets gaining in polyfunctional characteristics.
Project description:Several studies have described the existence of cells that co-express TAMs markers and tumor cell markers. Double-positive cells are formed by the hybridization of TAMs and GBM cells. The hybrids exhibit unique transcriptome profiles via nuclear reprogramming and contribute to GBM invasion. Another report stated that the double-positive cells are formed by the fusion of neoplastic cells and macrophages, and the fusion cells contribute to tumor heterogeneity and metastasis. However, few studies have investigated the immune regulatory functions of the double-positive cells in the GBM TME. Here, we isolated F4/80+GFP+ cells and F4/80+GFP– cells to explore the immune functions of double-positive TAMs.
Project description:Here we report transcriptional specificities associated with murine Trp1 CD4+ and Trp1 CD4+CD8+ T cells isolated from B16 melanoma tumor resections.