1
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Montauti E, Oh DY, Fong L. CD4 + T cells in antitumor immunity. Trends Cancer 2024; 10:969-985. [PMID: 39242276 PMCID: PMC11464182 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2024.07.009] [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: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Advances in cancer immunotherapy have transformed cancer care and realized unprecedented responses in many patients. The growing arsenal of novel therapeutics - including immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), adoptive T cell therapies (ACTs), and cancer vaccines - reflects the success of cancer immunotherapy. The therapeutic benefits of these treatment modalities are generally attributed to the enhanced quantity and quality of antitumor CD8+ T cell responses. Nevertheless, CD4+ T cells are now recognized to play key roles in both the priming and effector phases of the antitumor immune response. In addition to providing T cell help through co-stimulation and cytokine production, CD4+ T cells can also possess cytotoxicity either directly on MHC class II-expressing tumor cells or to other cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The presence of specific populations of CD4+ T cells, and their intrinsic plasticity, within the TME can represent an important determinant of clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies. Understanding how the antitumor functions of specific CD4+ T cell types are induced while limiting their protumorigenic attributes will enable more successful immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Montauti
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David Y Oh
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lawrence Fong
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center, Fred Hutchison Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
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2
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He R, Lu J, Feng J, Lu Z, Shen K, Xu K, Luo H, Yang G, Chi H, Huang S. Advancing immunotherapy for melanoma: the critical role of single-cell analysis in identifying predictive biomarkers. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1435187. [PMID: 39026661 PMCID: PMC11254669 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1435187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Melanoma, a malignant skin cancer arising from melanocytes, exhibits rapid metastasis and a high mortality rate, especially in advanced stages. Current treatment modalities, including surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy, offer limited success, with immunotherapy using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) being the most promising. However, the high mortality rate underscores the urgent need for robust, non-invasive biomarkers to predict patient response to adjuvant therapies. The immune microenvironment of melanoma comprises various immune cells, which influence tumor growth and immune response. Melanoma cells employ multiple mechanisms for immune escape, including defects in immune recognition and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which collectively impact treatment efficacy. Single-cell analysis technologies, such as single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), have revolutionized the understanding of tumor heterogeneity and immune microenvironment dynamics. These technologies facilitate the identification of rare cell populations, co-expression patterns, and regulatory networks, offering deep insights into tumor progression, immune response, and therapy resistance. In the realm of biomarker discovery for melanoma, single-cell analysis has demonstrated significant potential. It aids in uncovering cellular composition, gene profiles, and novel markers, thus advancing diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Additionally, tumor-associated antibodies and specific genetic and cellular markers identified through single-cell analysis hold promise as predictive biomarkers. Despite these advancements, challenges such as RNA-protein expression discrepancies and tumor heterogeneity persist, necessitating further research. Nonetheless, single-cell analysis remains a powerful tool in elucidating the mechanisms underlying therapy response and resistance, ultimately contributing to the development of personalized melanoma therapies and improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ru He
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiaan Lu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jianglong Feng
- Department of Pathology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Ziqing Lu
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Kaixin Shen
- Department of Art and Design, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiyan Luo
- Department of Oncology, Chongqing General Hospital, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Guanhu Yang
- Department of Specialty Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | - Hao Chi
- Clinical Medical College, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Shangke Huang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China
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3
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Zhu W, Zhang Z, Chen J, Chen X, Huang L, Zhang X, Huang X, Ma N, Xu W, Yi X, Lu X, Fu X, Li S, Mo G, Wang Y, Yuan G, Zang M, Li Q, Jiang X, He Y, Wu S, He Y, Li Y, Hou J. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor arms T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T cells) against hepatocellular carcinoma. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:101. [PMID: 38643203 PMCID: PMC11032311 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01792-6] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Strategies to improve T cell therapy efficacy in solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) family cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, IL-15 and IL-21 play fundamental roles in T cell development, differentiation and effector phases. This study aims to determine the combination effects of IL-21 in T cell therapy against HCC and investigate optimized strategies to utilize the effect of IL-21 signal in T cell therapy. The antitumor function of AFP-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) was augmented by exogenous IL-21 in vitro and in vivo. IL-21 enhanced proliferation capacity, promoted memory differentiation, downregulated PD-1 expression and alleviated apoptosis in TCR-T after activation. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor was established, and TCR-T armed with the novel engineered IL-21 receptors (IL-21R-TCR-T) showed upregulated phosphorylated STAT3 expression without exogenous IL-21 ligand. IL-21R-TCR-T showed better proliferation upon activation and superior antitumor function in vitro and in vivo. IL-21R-TCR-T exhibited a less differentiated, exhausted and apoptotic phenotype than conventional TCR-T upon repetitive tumor antigen stimulation. The novel IL-21 receptor in our study programs powerful TCR-T and can avoid side effects induced by IL-21 systemic utilization. The novel IL-21 receptor creates new opportunities for next-generation TCR-T against HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinzhang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaolan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University Medical School, Newcastle, UK
| | - Xiaoyong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Na Ma
- Department of Pathology, The First People's Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Weikang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xuan Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Siwei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guoheng Mo
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yiyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guosheng Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengya Zang
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qi Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaotao Jiang
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yajing He
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sha Wu
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Proteomics of Guangdong Province, Demonstration Center for Experimental Education of Basic Medical Sciences of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yukai He
- Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, 1120 15th Street, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Yongyin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jinlin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Organ Failure Research, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Infectious Diseases, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Sun C, Li D, Wang Z. BATF-mediated regulation of exhausted CD8 + T-cell responses and potential implications for chimeric antigen receptor-T therapy. Immunotherapy 2024; 16:331-340. [PMID: 38264838 DOI: 10.2217/imt-2023-0170] [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] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for malignant tumors has reached a crucial stage, with recent studies underscoring the role of T-cell exhaustion in determining the efficacy of CAR-T therapy. This trailblazing discovery has opened new avenues to augment the potency of CAR-T therapy. Basic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor (BATF) is indispensable in alleviating T-cell exhaustion and is pivotal in the early stages of CD8+ T-cell differentiation. In cooperation with other transcription factors, it plays a key role in the differentiation and maturation processes of exhausted T cells. A deeper comprehension of BATF's mechanisms in T-cell biology may yield novel insights into amplifying the efficacy of CAR-T therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Sun
- Liver Transplant Center, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road (M), Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Dan Li
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zhengxin Wang
- Liver Transplant Center, Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Urumqi Road (M), Shanghai, 200040, China
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5
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Koh CH, Kim BS, Kang CY, Chung Y, Seo H. IL-17 and IL-21: Their Immunobiology and Therapeutic Potentials. Immune Netw 2024; 24:e2. [PMID: 38455465 PMCID: PMC10917578 DOI: 10.4110/in.2024.24.e2] [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: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Studies over the last 2 decades have identified IL-17 and IL-21 as key cytokines in the modulation of a wide range of immune responses. IL-17 serves as a critical defender against bacterial and fungal pathogens, while maintaining symbiotic relationships with commensal microbiota. However, alterations in its levels can lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. IL-21, on the other hand, bridges the adaptive and innate immune responses, and its imbalance is implicated in autoimmune diseases and cancer, highlighting its important role in both health and disease. Delving into the intricacies of these cytokines not only opens new avenues for understanding the immune system, but also promises innovative advances in the development of therapeutic strategies for numerous diseases. In this review, we will discuss an updated view of the immunobiology and therapeutic potential of IL-17 and IL-21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choong-Hyun Koh
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Byung-Seok Kim
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
| | - Chang-Yuil Kang
- Research & Development Center, Cellid Co., Ltd., Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Yeonseok Chung
- Laboratory of Immune Regulation, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hyungseok Seo
- Laboratory of Cell & Gene Therapy, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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6
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Titcombe PJ, Silva Morales M, Zhang N, Mueller DL. BATF represses BIM to sustain tolerant T cells in the periphery. J Exp Med 2023; 220:e20230183. [PMID: 37862030 PMCID: PMC10588758 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20230183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
T cells that encounter self-antigens after exiting the thymus avert autoimmunity through peripheral tolerance. Pathways for this include an unresponsive state known as anergy, clonal deletion, and T regulatory (Treg) cell induction. The transcription factor cues and kinetics that guide distinct peripheral tolerance outcomes remain unclear. Here, we found that anergic T cells are epigenetically primed for regulation by the non-classical AP-1 family member BATF. Tolerized BATF-deficient CD4+ T cells were resistant to anergy induction and instead underwent clonal deletion due to proapoptotic BIM (Bcl2l11) upregulation. During prolonged antigen exposure, BIM derepression resulted in fewer PD-1+ conventional T cells as well as loss of peripherally induced FOXP3+ Treg cells. Simultaneous Batf and Bcl2l11 knockdown meanwhile restored anergic T cell survival and Treg cell maintenance. The data identify the AP-1 nuclear factor BATF as a dominant driver of sustained T cell anergy and illustrate a mechanism for divergent peripheral tolerance fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Titcombe
- Department of Medicine, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Milagros Silva Morales
- Department of Medicine, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Daniel L. Mueller
- Department of Medicine, Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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7
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Xie L, Fang J, Yu J, Zhang W, He Z, Ye L, Wang H. The role of CD4 + T cells in tumor and chronic viral immune responses. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e390. [PMID: 37829505 PMCID: PMC10565399 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies are mainly aimed to promote a CD8+ T cell response rather than a CD4+ T cell response as cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) can directly kill target cells. Recently, CD4+ T cells have received more attention due to their diverse roles in tumors and chronic viral infections. In antitumor and antichronic viral responses, CD4+ T cells relay help signals through dendritic cells to indirectly regulate CD8+ T cell response, interact with B cells or macrophages to indirectly modulate humoral immunity or macrophage polarization, and inhibit tumor blood vessel formation. Additionally, CD4+ T cells can also exhibit direct cytotoxicity toward target cells. However, regulatory T cells exhibit immunosuppression and CD4+ T cells become exhausted, which promote tumor progression and chronic viral persistence. Finally, we also outline immunotherapies based on CD4+ T cells, including adoptive cell transfer, vaccines, and immune checkpoint blockade. Overall, this review summarizes diverse roles of CD4+ T cells in the antitumor or protumor and chronic viral responses, and also highlights the immunotherapies based on CD4+ T cells, giving a better understanding of their roles in tumors and chronic viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoyingzi Xie
- Institute of Hepatopancreatobiliary SurgeryChongqing General HospitalChongqingChina
- The Institute of ImmunologyThird Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingChina
| | - Jingyi Fang
- The Institute of ImmunologyThird Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingChina
| | - Juncheng Yu
- Department of Thoracic SurgeryXinqiao Hospital Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingChina
| | - Weinan Zhang
- Department of Plastic & Cosmetic SurgeryArmy Medical Center of PLAAmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Zhiqiang He
- Department of Plastic & Cosmetic SurgeryArmy Medical Center of PLAAmy Medical UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Lilin Ye
- The Institute of ImmunologyThird Military Medical University (Army Medical University)ChongqingChina
| | - Huaizhi Wang
- Institute of Hepatopancreatobiliary SurgeryChongqing General HospitalChongqingChina
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Topchyan P, Lin S, Cui W. The Role of CD4 T Cell Help in CD8 T Cell Differentiation and Function During Chronic Infection and Cancer. Immune Netw 2023; 23:e41. [PMID: 37970230 PMCID: PMC10643329 DOI: 10.4110/in.2023.23.e41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CD4 and CD8 T cells are key players in the immune response against both pathogenic infections and cancer. CD4 T cells provide help to CD8 T cells via multiple mechanisms, including licensing dendritic cells (DCs), co-stimulation, and cytokine production. During acute infection and vaccination, CD4 T cell help is important for the development of CD8 T cell memory. However, during chronic viral infection and cancer, CD4 helper T cells are critical for the sustained effector CD8 T cell response, through a variety of mechanisms. In this review, we focus on T cell responses in conditions of chronic Ag stimulation, such as chronic viral infection and cancer. In particular, we address the significant role of CD4 T cell help in promoting effector CD8 T cell responses, emerging techniques that can be utilized to further our understanding of how these interactions may take place in the context of tertiary lymphoid structures, and how this key information can be harnessed for therapeutic utility against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paytsar Topchyan
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Siying Lin
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Weiguo Cui
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53213, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pathology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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9
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Chen Y, Xu Z, Sun H, Ouyang X, Han Y, Yu H, Wu N, Xie Y, Su B. Regulation of CD8 + T memory and exhaustion by the mTOR signals. Cell Mol Immunol 2023; 20:1023-1039. [PMID: 37582972 PMCID: PMC10468538 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-023-01064-3] [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: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
CD8+ T cells are the key executioners of the adaptive immune arm, which mediates antitumor and antiviral immunity. Naïve CD8+ T cells develop in the thymus and are quickly activated in the periphery after encountering a cognate antigen, which induces these cells to proliferate and differentiate into effector cells that fight the initial infection. Simultaneously, a fraction of these cells become long-lived memory CD8+ T cells that combat future infections. Notably, the generation and maintenance of memory cells is profoundly affected by various in vivo conditions, such as the mode of primary activation (e.g., acute vs. chronic immunization) or fluctuations in host metabolic, inflammatory, or aging factors. Therefore, many T cells may be lost or become exhausted and no longer functional. Complicated intracellular signaling pathways, transcription factors, epigenetic modifications, and metabolic processes are involved in this process. Therefore, understanding the cellular and molecular basis for the generation and fate of memory and exhausted CD8+ cells is central for harnessing cellular immunity. In this review, we focus on mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), particularly signaling mediated by mTOR complex (mTORC) 2 in memory and exhausted CD8+ T cells at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ziyang Xu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Hongxiang Sun
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Xinxing Ouyang
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Department of Tumor Biology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yuheng Han
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Haihui Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Ningbo Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Yiting Xie
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Bing Su
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, and The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Death and Differentiation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Department of Tumor Biology, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Center for Immune-Related Diseases at Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine-Yale Institute for Immune Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology of Hunan Province, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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10
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Sailliet N, Mai HL, Dupuy A, Tilly G, Fourgeux C, Braud M, Giral M, Robert JM, Degauque N, Danger R, Poschmann J, Brouard S. Human granzyme B regulatory B cells prevent effector CD4+CD25- T cell proliferation through a mechanism dependent from lymphotoxin alpha. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1183714. [PMID: 37588598 PMCID: PMC10425555 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1183714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Human Granzyme B (GZMB) regulatory B cells (Bregs) have suppressive properties on CD4+ effector T cells by a mechanism partially dependent on GZMB. Moreover, these cells may be easily induced in vitro making them interesting for cell therapy. Methods We characterized this population of in vitro induced GZMB+Bregs using single cell transcriptomics. To investigate their regulatory properties, Bregs or total B cells were also co-cultured with T cells and scRNAseq was used to identify receptor ligand interactions and to reveal gene expression changes in the T cells. Results We find that Bregs exhibit a unique set of 149 genes differentially expressed and which are implicated in proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, and altered antigen presentation capacity consistent with their differentiated B cells profile. Notably, Bregs induced a strong inhibition of T cell genes associated to proliferation, activation, inflammation and apoptosis compared to total B cells. We identified and validated 5 receptor/ligand interactions between Bregs and T cells. Functional analysis using specific inhibitors was used to test their suppressive properties and we identified Lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) as a new and potent Breg ligand implicated in Breg suppressive properties. Discussion We report for the first time for a role of LTA in GZMB+Bregs as an enhancer of GZMB expression, and involved in the suppressive properties of GZMB+Bregs in human. The exact mechanism of LTA/GZMB function in this specific subset of Bregs remains to be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Sailliet
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Hoa-Le Mai
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Amandine Dupuy
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Gaëlle Tilly
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Cynthia Fourgeux
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Martin Braud
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Giral
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Jean-Michel Robert
- Institut De Recherche En Santé 2, Cibles Et Médicaments Des Infections Et De l’Immunité IICiMed-UR1155, Nantes Université, Nantes, France
| | - Nicolas Degauque
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Richard Danger
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Jeremie Poschmann
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Sophie Brouard
- CHU Nantes, Nantes Université, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology (CR2TI), UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
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11
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Zander R, Cui W. Exhausted CD8 + T cells face a developmental fork in the road. Trends Immunol 2023; 44:276-286. [PMID: 36907685 PMCID: PMC10569258 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023]
Abstract
Reinvigorating the function of exhausted CD8+ T cells during chronic viral infection and cancer is a major goal of current immunotherapy regimens. Here, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of exhausted CD8+ T cell heterogeneity as well as the potential differentiation trajectories that exhausted T cells follow during chronic infection and/or cancer. We highlight surmounting evidence suggesting that some T cell clones are divergent in nature and can develop into either terminally differentiated effector or exhausted CD8+ T cells. Lastly, we consider the potential therapeutic implications of such a bifurcation model of CD8+ T cell differentiation, including the intriguing hypothesis that redirecting progenitor CD8+ T cell differentiation along an effector pathway may serve as a novel approach to mitigate T cell exhaustion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Zander
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Iowa, 431 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
| | - Weiguo Cui
- Department of Pathology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 303 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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12
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Ciecko AE, Wang Y, Harleston S, Drewek A, Serreze DV, Geurts AM, Lin CW, Chen YG. Heterogeneity of Islet-Infiltrating IL-21+ CD4 T Cells in a Mouse Model of Type 1 Diabetes. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 210:935-946. [PMID: 36762954 PMCID: PMC10483376 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2200712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
IL-21 is essential for type 1 diabetes (T1D) development in the NOD mouse model. IL-21-expressing CD4 T cells are present in pancreatic islets where they contribute to T1D progression. However, little is known about their phenotype and differentiation states. To fill this gap, we generated, to our knowledge, a novel IL-21 reporter NOD strain to further characterize IL-21+ CD4 T cells in T1D. IL-21+ CD4 T cells accumulate in pancreatic islets and recognize β cell Ags. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that CD4 T effector cells in islets actively express IL-21 and they are highly diabetogenic despite expressing multiple inhibitory molecules, including PD-1 and LAG3. Islet IL-21+ CD4 T cells segregate into four phenotypically and transcriptionally distinct differentiation states, that is, less differentiated early effectors, T follicular helper (Tfh)-like cells, and two Th1 subsets. Trajectory analysis predicts that early effectors differentiate into both Tfh-like and terminal Th1 cells. We further demonstrated that intrinsic IL-27 signaling controls the differentiation of islet IL-21+ CD4 T cells, contributing to their helper function. Collectively, our study reveals the heterogeneity of islet-infiltrating IL-21+ CD4 T cells and indicates that both Tfh-like and Th1 subsets produce IL-21 throughout their differentiation process, highlighting the important sources of IL-21 in T1D pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley E Ciecko
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- The Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Yu Wang
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Stephanie Harleston
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- The Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Amber Drewek
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- The Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | | | - Aron M Geurts
- Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Chien-Wei Lin
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
| | - Yi-Guang Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
- The Max McGee Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Children's Research Institute of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
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13
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Application of ATAC-seq in tumor-specific T cell exhaustion. Cancer Gene Ther 2023; 30:1-10. [PMID: 35794339 PMCID: PMC9842510 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-022-00495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Researches show that chronic viral infection and persistent antigen and/or inflammatory signal exposure in cancer causes the functional status of T cells to be altered, mainly by major changes in the epigenetic and metabolic environment, which then leads to T cell exhaustion. The discovery of the immune checkpoint pathway is an important milestone in understanding and reversing T cell exhaustion. Antibodies targeting these pathways have shown superior ability to reverse T cell exhaustion. However, there are still some limitations in immune checkpoint blocking therapy, such as the short-term nature of therapeutic effects and high individual heterogeneity. Assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing(ATAC-seq) is a method used to analyze the accessibility of whole-genome chromatin. It uses hyperactive Tn5 transposase to assess chromatin accessibility. Recently, a growing number of studies have reported that ATAC-seq can be used to characterize the dynamic changes of epigenetics in the process of T cell exhaustion. It has been determined that immune checkpoint blocking can only temporarily restore the function of exhausted T cells because of an irreversible change in the epigenetics of exhausted T cells. In this study, we review the latest developments, which provide a clearer molecular understanding of T cell exhaustion, reveal potential new therapeutic targets for persistent viral infection and cancer, and provide new insights for designing effective immunotherapy for treating cancer and chronic infection.
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14
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Zhou Y, Quan G, Liu Y, Shi N, Wu Y, Zhang R, Gao X, Luo L. The application of Interleukin-2 family cytokines in tumor immunotherapy research. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1090311. [PMID: 36936961 PMCID: PMC10018032 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1090311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The Interleukin-2 Family contains six kinds of cytokines, namely IL-2, IL-15, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, and IL-21, all of which share a common γ chain. Many cytokines of the IL-2 family have been reported to be a driving force in immune cells activation. Therefore, researchers have tried various methods to study the anti-tumor effect of cytokines for a long time. However, due to the short half-life, poor stability, easy to lead to inflammatory storms and narrow safety treatment window of cytokines, this field has been tepid. In recent years, with the rapid development of protein engineering technology, some engineered cytokines have a significant effect in tumor immunotherapy, showing an irresistible trend of development. In this review, we will discuss the current researches of the IL-2 family and mainly focus on the application and achievements of engineered cytokines in tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangyihua Zhou
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Guiqi Quan
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yujun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Cancer Research Institute, Department of Neurosurgery, School of Basic Medical Science, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yahui Wu
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Medical Laboratory, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- *Correspondence: Ran Zhang, ; Xiang Gao, ; Longlong Luo,
| | - Xiang Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ran Zhang, ; Xiang Gao, ; Longlong Luo,
| | - Longlong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Ran Zhang, ; Xiang Gao, ; Longlong Luo,
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15
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Huo X, Guo T, Wang K, Yao B, Li D, Li H, Chen W, Wang L, Wu Z. Methylation-based reclassification and risk stratification of skull-base chordomas. Front Oncol 2022; 12:960005. [PMID: 36439461 PMCID: PMC9691996 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.960005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Skull-base chordomas are rare malignant bone cancers originating from the remnant of the notochord. Survival is variable, and clinical or molecular factors cannot reliably predict their outcomes. This study therefore identified epigenetic subtypes that defined new chordoma epigenetic profiles and their corresponding characteristics. METHODS Methylation profiles of 46 chordoma-resected neoplasms between 2008 and 2014, along with clinical information, were collected. K-means consensus clustering and principal component analysis were used to identify and validate the clusters. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis, methylCIBERSORT algorithm, and copy number analysis were used to identify the characteristics of the clusters. RESULTS Unsupervised clustering analysis confirmed two clusters with a progression-free survival difference. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that the early and late estrogen response pathways and the hypoxia pathway were activated whereas the inflammatory and interferon gamma responses were suppressed. Forty-six potential therapeutic targets corresponding to differentially methylated sites were identified from chordoma patients. Subgroups with a worse outcome were characterized by low immune cell infiltration, higher tumor purity, and higher stemness indices. Moreover, copy number amplifications mostly occurred in cluster 1 tumors and the high-risk group. Additionally, the presence of a CCNE1 deletion was exclusively found in the group of chordoma patients with better outcome, whereas RB1 and CDKN2A/2B deletions were mainly found in the group of chordoma patients with worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS Chordoma prognostic epigenetic subtypes were identified, and their corresponding characteristics were found to be variable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xulei Huo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Tengxian Guo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Fengtai Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Bohan Yao
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Da Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Key Laboratory for Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of Ministry of Education, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Center of Brain Tumor, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, Beijing, China
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16
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Kasmani MY, Ciecko AE, Brown AK, Petrova G, Gorski J, Chen YG, Cui W. Autoreactive CD8 T cells in NOD mice exhibit phenotypic heterogeneity but restricted TCR gene usage. Life Sci Alliance 2022; 5:5/10/e202201503. [PMID: 35667687 PMCID: PMC9170949 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202201503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Paired scRNA-seq and scTCR-seq reveals that diabetogenic CD8 T cells in the islets and spleens of NOD mice exhibit phenotypic and clonal heterogeneity despite restricted TCR gene usage. Expression of certain TCR genes correlates with clonal proliferation and effector phenotype. Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disorder defined by CD8 T cell–mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells. We have previously shown that diabetogenic CD8 T cells in the islets of non-obese diabetic mice are phenotypically heterogeneous, but clonal heterogeneity remains relatively unexplored. Here, we use paired single-cell RNA and T-cell receptor sequencing (scRNA-seq and scTCR-seq) to characterize autoreactive CD8 T cells from the islets and spleens of non-obese diabetic mice. scTCR-seq demonstrates that CD8 T cells targeting the immunodominant β-cell epitope IGRP206-214 exhibit restricted TCR gene usage. scRNA-seq identifies six clusters of autoreactive CD8 T cells in the islets and six in the spleen, including memory and exhausted cells. Clonal overlap between IGRP206-214–reactive CD8 T cells in the islets and spleen suggests these cells may circulate between the islets and periphery. Finally, we identify correlations between TCR genes and T-cell clonal expansion and effector fate. Collectively, our work demonstrates that IGRP206-214–specific CD8 T cells are phenotypically heterogeneous but clonally restricted, raising the possibility of selectively targeting these TCR structures for therapeutic benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moujtaba Y Kasmani
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Ashley E Ciecko
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Max McGee National Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Ashley K Brown
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Galina Petrova
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jack Gorski
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Yi-Guang Chen
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA .,Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.,Max McGee National Research Center for Juvenile Diabetes, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Weiguo Cui
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA .,Blood Research Institute, Versiti Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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17
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Li S, Zou D, Chen W, Cheng Y, Britz GW, Weng YL, Liu Z. Ablation of BATF Alleviates Transplant Rejection via Abrogating the Effector Differentiation and Memory Responses of CD8 + T Cells. Front Immunol 2022; 13:882721. [PMID: 35514970 PMCID: PMC9062028 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.882721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic CD8+ T cells are prominently involved in allograft rejection, but how their effector differentiation and function are regulated at a transcriptional level is not fully understood. Herein, we identified the basic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor (BATF) as a key transcription factor that drives the effector program of allogeneic CD8+ T cells. We found that BATF is highly expressed in graft-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, and its ablation in CD8+ T cells significantly prolonged skin allograft survival in a fully MHC-mismatched transplantation model. To investigate how BATF dictates allogeneic CD8+ T cell response, BATF-/- and wild-type (WT) CD8+ T cells were mixed in a 1:1 ratio and adoptively transferred into B6.Rag1-/- mice 1 day prior to skin transplantation. Compared with WT CD8+ T cells at the peak of rejection response, BATF-/- CD8+ T cells displayed a dysfunctional phenotype, evident by their failure to differentiate into CD127-KLRG1+ terminal effectors, impaired proliferative capacity and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines/cytotoxic molecules, and diminished capacity to infiltrate allografts. In association with the failure of effector differentiation, BATF-/- CD8+ T cells largely retained TCF1 expression and expressed significantly low levels of T-bet, TOX, and Ki67. At the memory phase, BATF-deficient CD8+ T cells displayed impaired effector differentiation upon allogeneic antigen re-stimulation. Therefore, BATF is a critical transcriptional determinant that governs the terminal differentiation and memory responses of allogeneic CD8+ T cells in the transplantation setting. Targeting BATF in CD8+ T cells may be an attractive therapeutic approach to promote transplant acceptance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Li
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Changsha, China,Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, United States,Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Dawei Zou
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute & Institute for Academic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Wenhao Chen
- Immunobiology & Transplant Science Center, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute & Institute for Academic Medicine, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yating Cheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, United States,Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Gavin W. Britz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, United States,Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Yi-Lan Weng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Neurological Institute, Houston, TX, United States,Center for Neuroregeneration, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX, United States,*Correspondence: Zhaoqian Liu, ;Yi-Lan Weng,
| | - Zhaoqian Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China,Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Central South University, Changsha, China,*Correspondence: Zhaoqian Liu, ;Yi-Lan Weng,
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18
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Lu Y, Zhang J, Chen Y, Kang Y, Liao Z, He Y, Zhang C. Novel Immunotherapies for Osteosarcoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:830546. [PMID: 35433427 PMCID: PMC9012135 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.830546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone sarcoma mainly affecting adolescents and young adults, which often progresses to pulmonary metastasis and leads to the death of OS patients. OS is characterized as a highly heterogeneous cancer type and the underlying pathologic mechanisms triggering tumor progress and metastasis are incompletely recognized. Surgery combined with neoadjuvant and postoperative chemotherapy has elevated 5-year survival to over 70% for patients with localized OS tumors, as opposed to only 20% of patients with recurrence and/or metastasis. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies are needed to overcome the drawbacks of conventional treatments. Immunotherapy is gaining momentum for the treatment of OS with an increasing number of FDA-approved therapies for malignancies resistant to conventional therapies. Here, we review the OS tumor microenvironment and appraise the promising immunotherapies available in the management of OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubao Lu
- Department of Spine Surgery, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiahe Zhang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yutong Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuchen Kang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Zhipeng Liao
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Yuanqi He
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Cangyu Zhang
- Department of Orthopaedics, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Cangyu Zhang,
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19
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Ren HM, Lukacher AE, Rahman ZSM, Olsen NJ. New developments implicating IL-21 in autoimmune disease. J Autoimmun 2021; 122:102689. [PMID: 34224936 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2021.102689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Elevated interleukin (IL)-21 is a common finding in the tissues and/or sera of patients with autoimmune disease. CD4 T cells are the primary producers of IL-21; often the IL-21 producing CD4 T cells will express molecules associated with follicular helper cells (TFH). Recent work has shown that the CD4 T cell-derived IL-21 is able to promote effector functions and memory differentiation of CD8 T cells in chronic infections and cancer. Autoimmunity has similarities to chronic infections and cancer. However, CD4 T cell-derived IL-21:IL21R signaling in CD8 T cells has not been fully appreciated in the context of autoimmunity. In this review, we assess the current knowledge regarding CD4 T cell-derived IL-21 and IL21R signaling within CD8 T cells and evaluate what implications it has within several autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematous, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, type 1 diabetes mellitus, psoriasis, Sjögren's syndrome, vitiligo, antiphospholipid syndrome, pemphigus, and giant cell arteritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Ren
- MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program at Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
| | - Aron E Lukacher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Ziaur S M Rahman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | - Nancy J Olsen
- Devision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Penn State MS Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
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