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Braverman EL, McQuaid MA, Schuler H, Qin M, Hani S, Hippen K, Monlish DA, Dobbs AK, Ramsey MJ, Kemp F, Wittmann C, Ramgopal A, Brown H, Blazar B, Byersdorfer CA. Overexpression of AMPKγ2 increases AMPK signaling to augment human T cell metabolism and function. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105488. [PMID: 38000657 PMCID: PMC10825059 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular therapies are currently employed to treat a variety of disease processes. For T cell-based therapies, success often relies on the metabolic fitness of the T cell product, where cells with enhanced metabolic capacity demonstrate improved in vivo efficacy. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a cellular energy sensor which combines environmental signals with cellular energy status to enforce efficient and flexible metabolic programming. We hypothesized that increasing AMPK activity in human T cells would augment their oxidative capacity, creating an ideal product for adoptive cellular therapies. Lentiviral transduction of the regulatory AMPKγ2 subunit stably enhanced intrinsic AMPK signaling and promoted mitochondrial respiration with increased basal oxygen consumption rates, higher maximal oxygen consumption rate, and augmented spare respiratory capacity. These changes were accompanied by increased proliferation and inflammatory cytokine production, particularly within restricted glucose environments. Introduction of AMPKγ2 into bulk CD4 T cells decreased RNA expression of canonical Th2 genes, including the cytokines interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, while introduction of AMPKγ2 into individual Th subsets universally favored proinflammatory cytokine production and a downregulation of IL-4 production in Th2 cells. When AMPKγ2 was overexpressed in regulatory T cells, both in vitro proliferation and suppressive capacity increased. Together, these data suggest that augmenting intrinsic AMPK signaling via overexpression of AMPKγ2 can improve the expansion and functional potential of human T cells for use in a variety of adoptive cellular therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Braverman
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Margaret A McQuaid
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Herbert Schuler
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mengtao Qin
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Sophia Hani
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Keli Hippen
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Darlene A Monlish
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrea K Dobbs
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Manda J Ramsey
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Felicia Kemp
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Christopher Wittmann
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Archana Ramgopal
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Harrison Brown
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bruce Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Craig A Byersdorfer
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapies, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Zebley CC, Abdelsamed HA, Ghoneim HE, Alli S, Brown C, Haydar D, Mi T, Harris T, McGargill MA, Krenciute G, Youngblood B. Proinflammatory cytokines promote TET2-mediated DNA demethylation during CD8 T cell effector differentiation. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109796. [PMID: 34644568 PMCID: PMC8593824 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
To gain insight into the signaling determinants of effector-associated DNA methylation programming among CD8 T cells, we explore the role of interleukin (IL)-12 in the imprinting of IFNg expression during CD8 T cell priming. We observe that anti-CD3/CD28-mediated stimulation of human naive CD8 T cells is not sufficient to induce substantial demethylation of the IFNg promoter. However, anti-CD3/CD28 stimulation in the presence of the inflammatory cytokine, IL-12, results in stable demethylation of the IFNg locus that is commensurate with IFNg expression. IL-12-associated demethylation of the IFNg locus is coupled to cell division through TET2-dependent demethylation in an ex vivo human chimeric antigen receptor T cell model system and an in vivo immunologically competent murine system. Collectively, these data illustrate that IL-12 signaling promotes TET2-mediated effector DNA demethylation programming in CD8 T cells and serve as proof of concept that cytokines can guide induction of epigenetically regulated traits for T cell-based immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin C Zebley
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Hossam A Abdelsamed
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Hazem E Ghoneim
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Shanta Alli
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Charmaine Brown
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Dalia Haydar
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tian Mi
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Tarsha Harris
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Maureen A McGargill
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Giedre Krenciute
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Ben Youngblood
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
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Tilly G, Cadoux M, Garcia A, Morille J, Wiertlewski S, Pecqueur C, Brouard S, Laplaud D, Degauque N. Teriflunomide Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis Selectively Modulates CD8 Memory T Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:730342. [PMID: 34721394 PMCID: PMC8552527 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.730342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Inhibition of de novo pyrimidine synthesis in proliferating T and B lymphocytes by teriflunomide, a pharmacological inhibitor of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), has been shown to be an effective therapy to treat patients with MS in placebo-controlled phase 3 trials. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism contributing to the efficacy of DHODH inhibition has been only partially elucidated. Here, we aimed to determine the impact of teriflunomide on the immune compartment in a longitudinal high-dimensional follow-up of patients with relapse-remitting MS (RRMS) treated with teriflunomide. Methods High-dimensional spectral flow cytometry was used to analyze the phenotype and the function of innate and adaptive immune system of patients with RRMS before and 12 months after teriflunomide treatment. In addition, we assessed the impact of teriflunomide on the migration of memory CD8 T cells in patients with RRMS, and we defined patient immune metabolic profiles. Results We found that 12 months of treatment with teriflunomide in patients with RRMS does not affect the B cell or CD4 T cell compartments, including regulatory TREG follicular helper TFH cell and helper TH cell subsets. In contrast, we observed a specific impact of teriflunomide on the CD8 T cell compartment, which was characterized by decreased homeostatic proliferation and reduced production of TNFα and IFNγ. Furthermore, we showed that DHODH inhibition also had a negative impact on the migratory velocity of memory CD8 T cells in patients with RRMS. Finally, we showed that the susceptibility of memory CD8 T cells to DHODH inhibition was not related to impaired metabolism. Discussion Overall, these findings demonstrate that the clinical efficacy of teriflunomide results partially in the specific susceptibility of memory CD8 T cells to DHODH inhibition in patients with RRMS and strengthens active roles for these T cells in the pathophysiological process of MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Tilly
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Marion Cadoux
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Alexandra Garcia
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Jérémy Morille
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - Sandrine Wiertlewski
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
- CHU Nantes, Service de Neurologie, CRC-SEP, CIC1413, Nantes, France
| | | | - Sophie Brouard
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
| | - David Laplaud
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
- CHU Nantes, Service de Neurologie, CRC-SEP, CIC1413, Nantes, France
| | - Nicolas Degauque
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, Inserm, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, Nantes, France
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