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Vaena S, Chakraborty P, Lee HG, Janneh AH, Kassir MF, Beeson G, Hedley Z, Yalcinkaya A, Sofi MH, Li H, Husby ML, Stahelin RV, Yu XZ, Mehrotra S, Ogretmen B. Aging-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by ceramide signaling inhibits antitumor T cell response. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109076. [PMID: 33951438 PMCID: PMC8127241 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We lack a mechanistic understanding of aging-mediated changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics and lipid metabolism that affect T cell function. The bioactive sphingolipid ceramide, induced by aging stress, mediates mitophagy and cell death; however, the aging-related roles of ceramide metabolism in regulating T cell function remain unknown. Here, we show that activated T cells isolated from aging mice have elevated C14/C16 ceramide accumulation in mitochondria, generated by ceramide synthase 6, leading to mitophagy/mitochondrial dysfunction. Mechanistically, aging-dependent mitochondrial ceramide inhibits protein kinase A, leading to mitophagy in activated T cells. This aging/ceramide-dependent mitophagy attenuates the antitumor functions of T cells in vitro and in vivo. Also, inhibition of ceramide metabolism or PKA activation by genetic and pharmacologic means prevents mitophagy and restores the central memory phenotype in aging T cells. Thus, these studies help explain the mechanisms behind aging-related dysregulation of T cells' antitumor activity, which can be restored by inhibiting ceramide-dependent mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vaena
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Paramita Chakraborty
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Han Gyul Lee
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Alhaji H Janneh
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Mohamed Faisal Kassir
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Gyda Beeson
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Zachariah Hedley
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Ahmet Yalcinkaya
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - M Hanief Sofi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Hong Li
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Public Health, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Monica L Husby
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Robert V Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xue-Zhong Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Besim Ogretmen
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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