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Gnanaprakasam JNR, Kushwaha B, Liu L, Chen X, Kang S, Wang T, Cassel TA, Adams CM, Higashi RM, Scott DA, Xin G, Li Z, Yang J, Lane AN, Fan TWM, Zhang J, Wang R. Asparagine restriction enhances CD8 + T cell metabolic fitness and antitumoral functionality through an NRF2-dependent stress response. Nat Metab 2023; 5:1423-1439. [PMID: 37550596 PMCID: PMC10447245 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-023-00856-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
Robust and effective T cell immune surveillance and cancer immunotherapy require proper allocation of metabolic resources to sustain energetically costly processes, including growth and cytokine production. Here, we show that asparagine (Asn) restriction on CD8+ T cells exerted opposing effects during activation (early phase) and differentiation (late phase) following T cell activation. Asn restriction suppressed activation and cell cycle entry in the early phase while rapidly engaging the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2)-dependent stress response, conferring robust proliferation and effector function on CD8+ T cells during differentiation. Mechanistically, NRF2 activation in CD8+ T cells conferred by Asn restriction rewired the metabolic program by reducing the overall glucose and glutamine consumption but increasing intracellular nucleotides to promote proliferation. Accordingly, Asn restriction or NRF2 activation potentiated the T cell-mediated antitumoral response in preclinical animal models, suggesting that Asn restriction is a promising and clinically relevant strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy. Our study revealed Asn as a critical metabolic node in directing the stress signaling to shape T cell metabolic fitness and effector functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J N Rashida Gnanaprakasam
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Bhavana Kushwaha
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Lingling Liu
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Xuyong Chen
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Siwen Kang
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Tingting Wang
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Teresa A Cassel
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Christopher M Adams
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Richard M Higashi
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - David A Scott
- Cancer Metabolism Core, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Gang Xin
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Zihai Li
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, Pelotonia Institute for Immuno-Oncology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Andrew N Lane
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Teresa W-M Fan
- Center for Environmental and Systems Biochemistry, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Ji Zhang
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ruoning Wang
- Center for Childhood Cancer, Hematology/Oncology & BMT, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
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