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Park JH, Lee SW, Choi D, Lee C, Sung YC. Harnessing the Power of IL-7 to Boost T Cell Immunity in Experimental and Clinical Immunotherapies. Immune Netw 2024; 24:e9. [PMID: 38455462 PMCID: PMC10917577 DOI: 10.4110/in.2024.24.e9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The cytokine IL-7 plays critical and nonredundant roles in T cell immunity so that the abundance and availability of IL-7 act as key regulatory mechanisms in T cell immunity. Importantly, IL-7 is not produced by T cells themselves but primarily by non-lymphoid lineage stromal cells and epithelial cells that are limited in their numbers. Thus, T cells depend on cell extrinsic IL-7, and the amount of in vivo IL-7 is considered a major factor in maximizing and maintaining the number of T cells in peripheral tissues. Moreover, IL-7 provides metabolic cues and promotes the survival of both naïve and memory T cells. Thus, IL-7 is also essential for the functional fitness of T cells. In this regard, there has been an extensive effort trying to increase the protein abundance of IL-7 in vivo, with the aim to augment T cell immunity and harness T cell functions in anti-tumor responses. Such approaches started under experimental animal models, but they recently culminated into clinical studies, with striking effects in re-establishing T cell immunity in immunocompromised patients, as well as boosting anti-tumor effects. Depending on the design, glycosylation, and the structure of recombinantly engineered IL-7 proteins and their mimetics, recombinant IL-7 molecules have shown dramatic differences in their stability, efficacy, cellular effects, and overall immune functions. The current review is aimed to summarize the past and present efforts in the field that led to clinical trials, and to highlight the therapeutical significance of IL-7 biology as a master regulator of T cell immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyun Park
- Experimental Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Seung-Woo Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Donghoon Choi
- Research Institute of NeoImmune Tech., Co, Ltd., Bio Open Innovation Center, Pohang 37666, Korea
| | - Changhyung Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Young Chul Sung
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
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Shim JA, Lee SM, Jeong JW, Kim H, Son WJ, Park JH, Song P, Im SH, Bae S, Park JH, Jo Y, Hong C. NFAT1 and NFκB regulates expression of the common γ-chain cytokine receptor in activated T cells. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:309. [PMID: 37904191 PMCID: PMC10617197 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01326-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cytokines of the common γ chain (γc) family are critical for the development, differentiation, and survival of T lineage cells. Cytokines play key roles in immunodeficiencies, autoimmune diseases, allergies, and cancer. Although γc is considered an assistant receptor to transmit cytokine signals and is an indispensable receptor in the immune system, its regulatory mechanism is not yet well understood. OBJECTIVE This study focused on the molecular mechanisms that γc expression in T cells is regulated under T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. METHODS The γc expression in TCR-stimulated T cells was determined by flow cytometry, western blot and quantitative RT-PCR. The regulatory mechanism of γc expression in activated T cells was examined by promoter-luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. NFAT1 and NFκB deficient cells generated using CRISPR-Cas9 and specific inhibitors were used to examine their role in regulation of γc expression. Specific binding motif was confirmed by γc promotor mutant cells generated using CRISPR-Cas9. IL-7TgγcTg mice were used to examine regulatory role of γc in cytokine signaling. RESULTS We found that activated T cells significantly upregulated γc expression, wherein NFAT1 and NFκB were key in transcriptional upregulation via T cell receptor stimulation. Also, we identified the functional binding site of the γc promoter and the synergistic effect of NFAT1 and NFκB in the regulation of γc expression. Increased γc expression inhibited IL-7 signaling and rescued lymphoproliferative disorder in an IL-7Tg animal model, providing novel insights into T cell homeostasis. CONCLUSION Our results indicate functional cooperation between NFAT1 and NFκB in upregulating γc expression in activated T cells. As γc expression also regulates γc cytokine responsiveness, our study suggests that γc expression should be considered as one of the regulators in γc cytokine signaling and the development of T cell immunotherapies. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju A Shim
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 504, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - So Min Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 504, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
- PNU GRAND Convergence Medical Science Education Research Center, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Woo Jeong
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 504, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
- PNU GRAND Convergence Medical Science Education Research Center, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyori Kim
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 504, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
- PNU GRAND Convergence Medical Science Education Research Center, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Jae Son
- Department of Chemistry, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Hong Park
- Herbal Medicine Resources Research Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Naju, 58245, Republic of Korea
- University of Science & Technology (UST), KIOM Campus, Korean Convergence Medicine Major, Daejeon, 34054, Republic of Korea
| | - Parkyong Song
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
- PNU GRAND Convergence Medical Science Education Research Center, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea
| | - Sin-Hyeog Im
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, 37673, Korea
| | - Sangsu Bae
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Hyun Park
- Experimental Immunology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Yuna Jo
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 515, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea.
| | - Changwan Hong
- Department of Anatomy, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Room 504, 49 Busandaehak-Ro, Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-Do, 50612, South Korea.
- Department of Convergence Medical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
- PNU GRAND Convergence Medical Science Education Research Center, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, 50612, Republic of Korea.
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